Background
by waymay
Summary: Every story has an end, but in life, every ending is an opportunity for a new beginning. For Hermione, it took her three years, two months, and eighteen days for the pages to start turning again. Her chapter with Blaise Zabini was beautiful, filled with adventures until life threw a curve ball into their relationship- it brought Draco Malfoy back. Dramione/Blamione Rated M for Smut
1. Love Me

**A/N:** Hi everyone! First and foremost, a shout out to _Mr. Benzedrine_ for helping me out with this story and supporting me the entire way through! You should see how I make her squirm by giving her teasers. It's amazing. :D She's been an inspiration to my writing through and through, be sure to check out _all_ of her work, 'cause it's simply amazing.

I know I've been absent a bit from _Empire_ (if you haven't, go check it out! It's a romcom.), but that's 'cause I've been working on this fic! It started off as a one-shot, but I ended up putting so much into it that I couldn't keep it a one-shot without taking out all the feels. So, today, I present to you my one-shot failure: _Background_! It'll be split into three parts. This story ended up being very close to my heart, since I'm going through some tough times in my own relationship. This fic was also inspired by Barcelona, a band, who I'll mention several times throughout the stores. Give them a shot! And though _Background_ is not a conventional Dramione fic, I hope you still enjoy it.

Give it a chance, perhaps it'll touch your heart a little bit.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters in it. They all belong to the wonderful JK Rowling.

 **Summary:** Every story has an end, but in life, every ending is an opportunity for a new beginning. For Hermione, it took her three years, two months, and eighteen days for the pages to start turning again. Her chapter with Blaise Zabini was beautiful, filled with adventures until life threw a curve ball into their relationship- it brought Draco Malfoy back. _Dramione/Blamione Love Triangle_

* * *

 **Chapter 1 - Love Me**

I've been up all night thinking 'bout you baby

You've been runnin round in my head

Tell me what you like, I can give it to you

We can start right here in my bed

 _Touch_ \- Barcelona

The air was thick, suffocating, stifling. Heavy breathing and moans echoed in the grand room, adding to the already loud sound effects of the wooden headboard slamming against the fragile wall. Sensual candles, floating above the king sized bed, illuminated the, otherwise, dark space.

And there they were, tangled in the bed sheets. Tangled in each other's embrace.

"...Merlin, you feel so good..." he growled, capturing her bruised lips with a deep kiss. He pressed his chest onto hers, ignoring the thin layer of sweat between them, and earned himself a groan from his female counterpart.

"Yesss..." she hissed, her arms wrapped around the nape of his neck as her legs wound around his waist, encouraging him to thrust deeper into her. "Mmmmph! Oh gods, Draco!" she screamed, throwing her head back as she rolled her hips into his blows. Her eyelids fluttered as a powerful wave of orgasm traveled through her body, leaving her weak and trembling under the man.

Draco pulled himself away from her, and she almost cried from the missing contact. He propped himself up with his elbows on either side of her head, panting, trying to catch his breath. His wispy blonde hair, drenched in perspiration, brushed against her cheeks. His grey eyes bore into her brown orbs, watching her beautiful face as she recuperated from her high.

Soft music played in the background, barely audible from their lustful exchanges. His hands smoothed over the curves of her hips as he slowly pulled out of her. She pouted. He smirked. His fingers, light to their touch on her sensitive skin, sent shudders and goosebumps running up and down her body as they trailed further towards her equally beautiful mound. They gently parted her lower lips, and slowly, almost painfully, rubbed against the hood of her clit. She moaned once more, lifting her lower half to meet his touch.

"Is this what you want?" Draco grazed the edge of her ear with his mouth. As he leaned, he could just barely see the curls of her eyelashes flitter at the touch of his lips on her skin.

"Please..." she begged, adjusting her weight as her hands searched for their prize.

"Tell me what you want, my love." He jerked his hips away as he watched his companion reach for his hard cock. His fingers, continuing their ministration on her sensitive bud, added vigor. She mewled, hoping her response was enough. He nipped at her throat, applying just enough pressure before easing back to taste her salty skin. Draco reveled in sweet victory as the sound of her continuous whimper.

He stroked her jaw with his free hand, applying kisses onto her lips once more.

Her hands found the back of his head, and she grasped his hair, yanking his head back, their eyes meeting each others once more. Draco nearly froze at her sudden actions.

She shot him a charming smirk- something she learned from him during their years of courtship. "If you..." the witch started, "won't give me what I want..." she scooted into a sitting position, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I'll just have to _take_ it."

With her last comment, she forcefully shoved the blonde onto the bed, swiftly, their positions swapped. She was on top, now.

"Blimey, Hermione," he found himself laughing, shocked, at her newfound vigor.

She cradled him, her legs on either sides of his hips, kneeling as she leaned forward. "Playtime is over," Hermione purred, licking her lips. She arched her back, flaunting her pert breasts in his face while positioning herself onto him. Her hands gently stroked his stiff cock, and her hips swayed in circles, applying light pressure onto the tip. Draco groaned, his brows furrowed, tormented by her teasing gestures.

With his mouth, he captured her left breast, gingerly sucking and flicking her nipple with this tongue. Hermione gasped and shuddered at his touch. He knew she was weak when it came to her breasts. She knew what he was trying to do, and not wanting him to take control of the situation, the witch impaled herself on his cock. "Fuck!" He released her, gasping. Hermione began moving atop of him, sighing each time she sheathed him inside her. She angled her hips so her clit would brush against his abdomen, sending jolts of pleasure through her body.

It was his turn to throw his head back against the pillow, shouting obscenities. Merlin, how long has it been since they started fucking? Two hours? Three? He'd lost count long ago, but even still, Hermione was so wet, so tight, and so _bloody_ perfect. Draco grabbed her hips, holding her in place as he pistoned into her, rolling up into her hot core. He would never grow tired of her.

She fell forward with a cry, holding herself up with shaking hands, as Draco, once again, claimed the reins from Hermione. She dug her nails into his flawless chest, but he welcomed the pain, it coaxed him on -to feel alive, to be inside her... This was his world.

Draco flipped Hermione over once more. Her bountiful brown hair splayed around her angelic features. "Fuck, Hermione..." he growled through gritted teeth as he grabbed the back of her legs and pushed them back against the mattress. Thank the gods above she was flexible. From this angle, they were able to feel so much more. With each thrust, he caressed her g-spot. With each thrust, she moaned and gasped and clawed. He pushed all the way in, filling Hermione as he was made to do. He paused, basking in the glory of what was his.

"Faster, Draco!" she begged, rocking her hips against his. He complied, setting a quick and steady pace that had her mind spinning in circles. Draco cupped her face, his clouded eyes memorizing her features; his thumb tracing her lips, pushing them apart. She responded with a lick, tracing her tongue around in circles before engulfing his digit.

He pressed his sweaty forehead against hers, muttering into her ear as he continued to pump into her, "Damn it, Hermione. You're so tight! So beautiful..." Draco freed a hand, finding his way back down to her sensitive clit, rubbing quick circles as he simultaneously ground into her.

Her moans were forced out of her with each thrust. She wasn't going to last much longer. Her legs began to quiver. And for Merlin's sake, she was even wetter than before. Draco found the nape of her neck once again, biting harshly onto her flawless skin. There was sure to be a mark tomorrow. Faster, faster, faster. "Aah! Yes, yes, yes!" The pleasure was so intense that she was writhing underneath him, creating a desync to their rhythm. "Fuck, yes! Draco!" Hermione screamed out his name as bright stars exploded behind her eyes.

He grunted, clenching his teeth as he followed in her bliss. Draco held his breath, his cock twitching inside her warmth, filling her, claiming what was rightfully his.

Draco fell onto her, showering his beautiful witch with feathered kisses from her brows to her jawline. Everything was his. "Mine..." he whispered. Draco pushed himself off, lying next to her, wrapping protective arms around her slender frame.

"My queen."

* * *

Her muscles spazzed, tensing as she protected herself from falling -or at least she dreamt of falling. Hermione woke up with a jolt -a hypnic jerk. She snapped open her eyes, but they were met with darkness. Her chest rose rapidly; her breathing was ragged, as if she was fishing for air. The silence in the bedroom was almost too loud, but the beating of her heart easily overpowered anything else. She felt her heart pounding, racing fiercy within her chest. It hurt. It ached. And though she was covered in a comforter, Hermione trembled, cold from the sweat that pooled around her.

The body next to hers stirred at the change in rhythm. He was always a light dozer, keen to pick up on changes, even when he was sleeping. "Are you okay, babe?" He muttered, eyes still closed. His voice was low and husky, raspy almost from just waking up. He shifted, turning his body towards hers and he opened his eyes, trying to find hers in the darkness.

"Hey," she started. Hermione didn't look at him. She merely stared at the ceiling above, counting the grooves above as her eyes adjusted to the evening light. "Sorry to wake you. Another nightmare." She lied. It was a wonderful dream. A beautifully sad dream. A distant memory.

Hermione kept counting. _Twenty-one...twenty-two...twenty-three..._ She continued to count in hopes that he would fall back asleep. She didn't want to talk about it. She never did, but it always ended the same-in more lies.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He shifted his weight, sitting up and leaned against the wooden headboard, awake. If she could see him, she would see concern written on his face. He cared for her, truly, just as she cared for him.

She sighed inwardly. "I'm fine." She smiled, finally turning towards him at the count of fifty. When met with more silence, Hermione reassured him. "Really, I am."

She pushed herself into the same sitting position he was in and leaned towards him, kissing him gently on the lips. "I love that you care about me, even when you could be sleeping." Hermione smirked, speaking between feathered kisses, "I know how much you love your beauty sleep."

He smiled against her lips. Wrapping his strong arms around her delicate frame, he pulled her against his chest. Their naked bodies embracing each other. "Yes, but I love you more." He pressed into her kisses with fervor.

With ease and no effort at all, he lifted her, flipping Hermione onto her back. He climbed over her, and with one knee, spread her legs apart. He nipped at her bottom lip, sucking gently. His hands, calloused from the years of playing as a Quidditch catcher, grasped her neck gently. He squeezed ever so slightly before pressing his hands down her body. Over her collarbones. Her supple breasts. Her perky nipples. Her taut stomach. Her pussy.

He slipped a finger between her folds, and a sigh escaped her lips as he circled her clit. "You're already so wet..." he growled, nipping her earlobes. He showered her with kisses once more, the drowsiness replaced with excitement. He withdrew his hands, and Hermione squirmed, frowning as the pleasure was taken away.

He propped her legs up, wrapping them around his waist as he pushed his hips against hers, earning a gasp from Hermione. His erection was against her wet folds, sliding up and down, but never entering.

She wrapped her arms around the nape of his neck. Her whisper barely audible as she begged for sweet release.

"Blaise..."

* * *

 _Three years ago..._

The fireplace roared to life as a tense silence carried through. Hermione stormed through the Floo, donned in a beautiful forest green plunge-neckline evening gown. Her heels clacked loudly against the tiles as she stepped out, brushing any soot off her expensive attire. In her left hand, a silver clutch wallet, which she chucked onto a couch several feet away from her. The orange cat sleeping on the furniture hissed at the sudden interruption and fled the room. Her, usual, brown frizzy hair was braided and bundled into an elegant fishtail bun.

A queen is what he called her. A beauty who outshined even Aphrodite herself.

He followed close behind. His white-blonde hair slicked back, how his mother would have preferred, and a frown drawn on his face. Draco was dressed a black suit, speckled with leftover Floo powder from when he stepped through the fire. His pointer finger hooked the knot of his matching forest green tie, wiggling and loosening it.

Hermione's body tensed at the sound of his arrival. Her shoulders went rigid, and her neck stiffened. She kept her eyes fixated on the bookcase sitting across the room, refusing to acknowledge his presence. Her jaws were clenched, as well as her fists, as she tried with all her might not to shed a single tear.

A sigh escaped his lips. "Hermione, can we please talk about this?" He spoke in a soft voice, much unlike Draco Malfoy, aware of her current state.

She stayed silent, unresponsive, unmoving.

Draco yanked off the silk tie, discarding it onto the ground and freed the first few buttons of his ash gray button-down. Patience wasn't his middle name. It never was. He, also, hated when she deliberately ignored him.

"I'm talking to you." Draco walked towards the witch, grabbing her arm in an attempt to turn her around, but she jerked herself free. "God damn it, Hermione. Grow up and talk to me!" He yanked her arms once more, forcing her to face him.

Another sigh as his anger dwindled. "Why... why are you crying?"

The gorgeous makeup, she applied for the evening, was smeared. Her eyeliner running down the sides of her cheek. God, so much for being strong. She silently cursed herself while looking straight into Draco's eyes. He stared at her, almost as if his gaze would pierce straight through to her soul, but, in reality, he knew nothing.

He knew nothing, even after three years.

"Why would you ask that?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. Her jaws trembled. "How do you know _nothing_ about me?"

It was his turn to remain silent as she gathered the courage to steady herself.

"Did you not witness what went down tonight, Draco?" She pointed at the inactive fireplace, her voice growing louder. "Where's your head?" Her brows creased as she felt her anger grow. "It's been three years, Draco. _Three_ years and they still abhor me." A sob escaped her ruby lips. Her chest palpitating from her irregular breathing.

Draco reached over, cupping her face as he brushed away the wet eyeliner.

She closed her eyes, leaning into the palm of his hands for a moment. Her hands clasped around his wrist, cherishing the moment as her heart ached painfully. It tore at her chest, threatening to escape. She just wanted it to stop. Tears continued to flow down her cheeks, and she sniffled, pulling away from his touch. "Why won't you ever stand up for me, Draco?"

He froze. "Is _this_ what it is?"

"Why won't they accept me, Draco?" She looked at him while wiping away the tears. "I do so much for your parents. I try so hard to make them see who I truly am. But they... they see only the dirty blood running through my veins." Her left hand reached over to her arm right, fingers running along the permanent scar etched in by his aunt Bellatrix many years ago. Draco glanced down at her arm, swallowing hard. "I'll always be a filthy mudblood."

He winced at those words, recounting the days he used to make fun of her for her impurity. If only he learned earlier those imperfections were what made Hermione perfect. He spent many nights wishing he'd never called her a mudblood. Wishing she never learned the words. That she didn't have to bear the scar for the rest of her life.

"You're everything but, Hermione," his words were gentle once more. Draco stepped closer towards the witch, this time wrapping his arms around her in an embrace. "Don't think for a second you're anything less."

Draco leaned in to kiss Hermione, but she turned away, denying his affection. "I have _never_ been so humiliated- and in front of everyone else."

" _It was a wonderful meal, Mother." Draco smiled at the older Malfoy, setting his utensils on the empty plate._

 _Narcissa returned her son's smile, thanking him with a quick pat on his hand. She turned towards the witch sitting across from Draco. "Hermione, dear, would you mind clearing the table?" She gestured towards the empty platters scattered all over the table._

 _Silence curtained the room as everyone stopped their casual banter and turned to look at the two women._

 _Hermione could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, not from the fine wine they'd been drinking all night, but rather from the sudden and unneeded attention from the guests. She stared at Narcissa, her eyes widened in confusion._

 _Lucius chuckled, and heads turned towards him. Hermione's as well. "Yes, well, why else would you be here, Granger?" Her surname rolled off his tongue in disgust. "Did you think you were invited here as a guest?" The senior Malfoy tsked, "As a muggleborn, you should be accustomed to remedial housework."_

"It's been a year since we've announced our engagement," she finally turned to Draco. "And every time, they find new ways to degrade, demean, and shame me -all because of who my parents are." Tears stained her powdered cheeks. "This one really takes the cake."

Silence.

"Why didn't you stand up for me?"

"What does it matter what my parents say?" Draco whispered as his throat tensed. He hated seeing her in this state. There was always a fight whenever they came back from the manor, but this time, his parents really did push it too far.

The Malfoys hosted a dinner for London's pureblood socialites. 'For charity,' they said, but Draco knew better. He knew his parents loved being showered in compliments and loved to show off new riches they acquired through their travels. 'For the veterans still recovering from the War,' they said. His father even went through the trouble of inviting Kingsley Shacklebot and notable journalists. 'They must know the good we're doing to make up for the cost of the War,' they said.

"' _Malfoy Marries a Maid_ '- I can see it in the headlines tomorrow," Hermione scoffed, roughly brushing away her tears.

"Who the fuck cares what everyone thinks, Hermione?" He glared at her, upset she so easily lowered her status. She was a bloody war hero. She was a third of the Golden Trio. She was the beloved Hermione Granger.

She was his queen.

"You have _me_ , Hermione." He grabbed her hands, placing them onto his chest as his heart beated rapidly -praying, _hoping_ it was enough for her to hear. "I love you more than the world. You are my everything, you know that." His fingers, tracing over the diamond engagement ring on her left hand, trembled. "I would get rid of my parents to spend the rest of my life for you any day."

Hermione sniffled as she hung her head, staring down at her sequined heels. "Don't lie... Your family is, also, your everything," she muttered. "...Just like my family is my everything."

After the War, Hermione left for Australia in search of her parents. She had a cure for the _Obliviate_ she casted on them. But...it didn't work. It didn't work. It... it made matters worse. She tried so hard. God, she spent years trying to figure out how to fix it all. How to tidy up the mess she made, but the spell backfired. They started to lose more of their memories. She didn't understand. How was it the smartest witch of her generation couldn't figure it out? What did she do wrong?

Time withered away, and, eventually, even the forged memories of the Wilkins vanished. Hermione lost her parents forever. They were just shells of who they once were -skeletons of Mister and Missus Granger.

"Don't think for a second I know you wouldn't give up your family for me, Draco." She flattened her hand on his chest. His heart pounded violently. "But I couldn't live with myself if you were to make a sacrifice that big. The guilt, itself, would kill me. You have a family, Draco. Cherish what you have, because you can only have one of them, regardless of how flawed they are."

Hermione stared at the engagement ring. It was beautiful. A Moussaieff Red Diamond, one of the most expensive rocks in the world, sat on her ring finger.

"I'm only so strong, Draco, and each day, I'm being whittled down to nothing." She shook her head, "I don't want to break up your family, Draco, but I can't fathom living with in-laws who will loathe me until the day I die."

He looked at his bride-to-be, confusion written all over his face. "What are you saying, Hermione?"

She, shakily, withdrew her hand. The silence between them screamed loudly in their ears. What were mere seconds, felt as if it moved in slow motion, lasting eternity. "I'm sorry," she choked. Her right pointer and thumb grasped the ring on her left hand and carefully slipped it off.

"I don't... I don't have my family anymore." Hermione's voice strained as she used up the last of her courage. "Please," she handed the ring to him. "I know you'll find another whom you'll give the world to, just as you, once, gave the world to me. And she'll be loved. She'll be adored by your mother and father."

When Draco didn't accept the ring, she grasped his trembling hand, placing it in the palm of his hand.

"But that woman isn't me."

* * *

"C'mon, Hermione! It's been three years, two months-"

"-And eighteen days, I know! ...I know." She interrupted a particular redhead friend of hers. She took a sip of drink, bourbon, and continued to mutter, "You don't need to remind me..."

Hermione, along with Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood, were out at an up-and-coming nightclub, _Bond_ , spending some quality girl time together. With Ginny, who was on a break between Quidditch seasons, and Luna, returning for a few weeks from her exciting job as a naturalist, the girls hadn't much of an opportunity to hang out. Hermione was the only one who ended up staying and finding a job in London after they graduated from Hogwarts.

"If you're finding your love life in a bit of a dry spell," Luna started, "you might want to check under your bed for weetimorousbeastie." She glanced up, her blue eyes floating between Ginny and Hermione as they stared at her, confused. "My father used to tell me they were these crafty little beasts that have the power to steal one's sex drive."

The brunette blanched; her eyebrows raised so high up, they nearly touched her hairline. "You and your _father_ talk about one another's sex drive?" She shouted over the booming music, drawing some odd looks from strangers.

The blonde gave them an airy smile. "Why, yes. Is it not normal?"

Ginny looked over to Hermione, then back to Luna. Both women answering 'no' at the same time.

It was nice hanging out with her friends again. Honestly, it'd been too long, and Hermione was starting to feel a little lonely. Most of her days were spent working at the Ministry as an Obliviator, and her weekends were filled with researching on how to restore botched memories. An obsession she hadn't let up in over nine years.

She would never admit it out loud, but Ginny's idea of going to a nightclub was rather brilliant. It was a definite change of pace from her usually quiet evenings. Though she would never complain over a good book and some hot tea.

"Hermione, what about him?" The Quidditch player nudged her arm, snapping her out of her thoughts. Ginny jutted her chin towards the left, towards a tall man who resembled a bit too much like her best friend.

Hermione laughed, pushing Ginny back. "No! Are you crazy? He looks too much like Harry." She covered her mouth as she continued to laugh. "Don't push your ideals onto me! You go talk to him if you think he's so attractive."

The redhead grinned, "But I'm already married." She waggled her right hand, showing off her wedding ring. "Plus, we're here for _you_! You need to get back into the dating game otherwise the weedle-whatchamacallit-"

"-Weetimorousbeastie." Luna interjected as she bit into the lemon wedge.

"-Right, otherwise it's going to suck all the love juices right out of you!" They laughed.

Hermione scrunched her face at Ginny as she tried not to giggle. "Oh, please- tell me you don't actually buy that."

They each sat on a stool, around a bar table, watching the younger witches and wizards gyrate their bodies to the music. The environment was dim; flashing lights hanging from the ceiling strobed on and off, changing colors each time. The crowd's movements seemed almost hypnotic as everyone continued dance to the _unce, unce, unce_ of the thundering bass.

"Hmm...It looks like Theodore Nott showed up tonight," Luna piped up, her attention drawn towards the entrance as a group stepped in.

Hermione, leaning forward on the table, sat up straight. She turned to look at the cluster of people, stretching her neck as far as possible as she tried to make out their faces. Her hands tightly gripped the edge of the table. Her heart started pounding, pounding faster than the beat of the music as she searched for a familiar face.

"He isn't here," Ginny whispered solemnly, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We would all recognize him if he were."

She was right.

He wouldn't be here.

Why was she even bothering? It'd been three years, two months, and eighteen days since she'd last saw him. Why, of all places, would it be here?

Hermione slumped back onto her stool, a sigh escaping her lips, her mood changing. Luna hopped off her stool, adjusting her baby blue dress and making her way towards the bar. Hermione didn't pay attention, though. She, instead, silently berated herself for being so stupid to think she'd see him tonight. He was always known for going out and having a good time with friends; seeing a mass of Slytherins just got her hopes up. There's no reason to see him anyway. Three years, two months, and eighteen days.

"I get it, Hermione," Ginny leaned against the witch, resting her head on her friend's shoulder. She found Hermione's hand and laced her fingers around hers, grasping her hand tightly in reassurance. "Take your time. We'll always be here for you."

Luna came back shortly, carrying a tray of neon-colored shots. "The bartender gave these to me for free." She, once again, gave her two friends that mysterious smile.

"What?" Ginny shouted, excitement exuding from her body. "How did you manage that, Luna?"

The petite blond shrugged, "I told Jez, the bartender, her complexion reminded me of the moon frogs." Again, she went with her imaginary creatures, "That they were beautiful creatures native to the moon, their skins glow vibrantly every night, bringing joy to those who can see them."

"Oh!" Hermione's mood lifted, as she reached for a glass. "It's odd that you have such a way with your words. Perhaps you have a crush now." She smiled, lifting the miniature cup into the air.

Luna looked around, "Who?"

The other two laughed at Luna's innocence, and cheered her friend on for fetching them a tray of free drinks. Hermione shot her drink; the liquid flowed down her throat, fizzy and sweet. A warmth spread through her body, allowing her to forget, even if for just a moment, the memory of Draco.

One by one, shots after shots, they pulled from the free alcohol. Forgetting was good. Plus, Ginny gathered some liquid courage and sauntered over towards the Harry Potter lookalike, deciding to strike up some harmless conversation. "You're married!" Hermione reminded her before she disappeared into the crowd. Not that Ginny needed any reminding, the woman loved Harry dearly, but she was going to enjoy herself, for the sake of girls' night.

Silence sat between Hermione and Luna. The airy blonde was never much for words, but Hermione grew comfortable with it through the years. Her presence was just enough. The witch smiled to herself, closing her eyes, letting the music fill her ears as she swayed to the sensual beat of the music:

 _...I want you for so long, tell me is it so wrong? Even if we fall in love? Fall in love..._

"It's been a while."

A deep voice, with a slight _hint_ of Italian, sounded behind Hermione sending a shiver down her spine. She remembered his voice all too well. Oh, she remembered gushing over his Italian-blend accent the first time she heard it when they were still children.

She turned around, her chestnut brown eyes locking onto his darker ones. A smug grin on his face. "Zabini?" Hermione sounded more surprised than she should have.

"May I?" He gestured towards the empty seat Ginny sat in earlier.

She nodded then turned towards Luna wide-eyed, unsure how to proceed. The blonde shrugged as she continued sipping her spiked iced tea, her attention bouncing from one thing to another, perhaps procuring a new imaginary creature. While Hermione was cordial with the wizard, he was always Draco's friend. Her heart began pounding once again; her mind raced from Draco to Zabi-

"...can call me Blaise. There's no need to be so formal." He set his drink on the table: bourbon.

"Right, Blaise." Hermione gave him a shy smile, feeling out of place, though he was the one who joined the table. Her eyes glazed over his features; the years have certainly been kind to him. The strobe lights bounced off his tanned olive skin, temporarily painting him, as if he was a living artwork. And for a moment, he truly resembled an Adonis -the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome.

Oh, Merlin's beard, maybe it was time to stop drinking if she was going to consider her ex's friend _attractive_.

Though she dated Draco for several years, hanging out with Slytherins was never an easy job. Their way of life, their interaction towards each other -or even towards outsiders was a world of difference in comparison to her and her possé. But out of everyone in Draco's group, Blaise was the one she got on with through the years. While they never interacted with each other outside the group, she always appreciated his presence. To just have someone there who didn't act like a smug supremacist, to just have someone remotely normal, albeit a tad quiet -sitting in the back, listening intently, absorbing every bit of information given, was a breath of relief.

And he was here tonight, sitting _here_ , next to _her_. Silent and mysterious as usual. And her heart skipped. Perhaps he wanted to catch up. It had been a while -over three and a half years? She never really bothered counting for those who were only labeled as an acquaintance.

Realizing she was, suddenly, the third wheel, Luna spoke up. "I'm going to go... to the bar..." But it seemed neither of them noticed.

The two of them stared at each other in silence as the music continued to pulse in the background.

 _And the night got me thinkin', thinkin' about lying in bed in the dark in the warm and we're naked..._

"What brings you out here, tonight?" He was the first to break the ice, picking his glass back up and swishing the alcohol around, his eyes never leaving hers.

As if it was a game they were playing, and Hermione was the loser, breaking eye contact.

She could still feel his eyes on her, burning deep through her. It made her nervous. She felt naked. "It's girls' night. Though," Hermione lifted her head, looking around, giving her an excuse to look anywhere _but_ at him. Ginny was nowhere to be seen, perhaps melded in with the crowd of dancers, and Luna -wait, when did she go to the bar? "Though neither of them are spending girl time with me." She gave him a defeated chuckle. "What about you, Blaise? What are you doing here?"

"I'm always here." He leaned forward, propping an elbow on the table, his glass still pinched between his slender fingers. His focus never left the witch. Why did she feel so nervous? "It's why I noticed you."

"Is that so?" She kept her face turned away from Blaise. Hermione couldn't look at him without having to take a breather every few seconds. It was hot. It was stifling. When did the club get so warm? She needed a fan or, or _something_. She squirmed in her seat, chewing on her lower lip.

"Well, it's hard to not notice the most beautiful woman in the room tonight." He leaned in, a hand suddenly brushing against her flushed cheeks as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Your hair's nice." _Oh_ -he noticed. She spent hours applying anti-frizz to her hair that, for once, it was silky smooth and straight.

A blush crept up her pale skin, crawling from the base of her neck and settling onto her cheeks as she absorbed the compliment. Was Blaise always so smooth with his words? It was honey to her ears. Maybe it was the sexy Italian accent. Was this what girls' night was supposed to be? Go separate ways and hit on boys or, perhaps in Luna's case, girls? Was this why Ginny insisted on Hermione dressing in this uncomfortable piece of fabric she called a dress? She, unconsciously, readjusted her dress.

"Dance with me, Granger." His hands found hers as they rested on the table. Her heart skipped several beats, the heavy bass filling in. His thumb caressed the web of her hand, silently encouraging her to accept his request. "It'll be fun," he whispered, leaning in close. His breath smelled of bourbon and mint. Her chest tingled at his words, and warmth coursed through her body. It was the alcohol.

"Okay," she whispered, a faint smile written across her face.

And like the gentlemen he was raised to be, Blaise stepped off his stool, lacing his fingers with hers, holding on tightly as if she would turn away and leave. He led her towards the dance floor, finding room in the middle of the mass. He directed her, draping her arms across his shoulders as he placed his on her hips, pulling her close to him. Hermione laughed under her breath, unsure whether it was the alcohol taking effect or just her nervousness being on the dancefloor.

Before tonight, the closest she had ever gotten to Blaise was a handshake, and now, here she was caught in his web, their bodies swaying slowly to the sensual music.

 _When you let me in, you better know that I got you, under my skin, ooh, you got me restless..._

How long had it been since she last danced? Too long. She didn't want to count anymore. Not tonight. Blaise whispered words of encouragement as they continued to move to the beat. Hermione closed her eyes, resting her forehead against his chest. She felt his heart beat, or was it the bass thumping? Either way, it felt nice. And he smelled of...parchment. Ooh, she inhaled deeply as her knees quivered. The smell of ink and books always excited her. How perfect was this? "Did you just get off work?"

The Italian man arched a brow, looking down at the witch, confused. Here they were, dancing sweetly to _Barcelona_ when she asked, out of nowhere, about his job. Was she not enjoying her time with him?

"You smell like books and ink." She shrugged innocently.

He chuckled; his laughter vibrated through his torso. "No, but I was reading before Nott dragged me here."

It must have been the alcohol. It was her liquid courage as she mentioned she enjoyed the smell of old books. Her dance partner merely returned her comment with a smile, his hand brushing against her cheeks, his thumb lightly brushing over her lower lip. Oh.

"Good," was all he said.

She didn't plan for his embrace to be so warm, so inviting, so comfortable. It was the alcohol, she told herself. But it felt so good. Hermione lost track of how many songs passed, but regardless of the beat of the music, the two of them remained close, chest pressed against another, hips rolling against each other's. Sweat rolled off their skin as their breathing grew heavier. They melted into the music, completely losing sense of everyone around them.

Hermione grasped at his shirt, bundling his fabric in her fist as his hands began to traveled along her curves. Waves of electric pulses moved through her body, like fire leaving a trail in its wake. He started from her hips, gradually trailing up under her breasts, his thumbs tracing an outline along her ribs. She sucked in a breath; her senses heightened. Merlin, his hands felt so amazing. It seemed once he'd memorized her body, his hand would travel to a different area: to her collarbone, her jaw, her lips, and back down to her waist and hips, to the small of her back. His hands finally stopped at her neck, his thumb caressing the sides of her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

It was liquid courage, she kept reminding herself; it was controlling her. He leaned in, resting his forehead against hers. His heavy breathing, in sync with hers, was music to her ears. With his thumb, he grazed her ruby lips once more, and as they continued to stare into each other's eyes, pupils dilated from sheer ecstasy, she parted her lips, dipping it into her mouth.

Blaise clenched his jaws, for once, the smile leaving his perfect complexion. For a moment, he hesitated, questioning his motives but surrendered to his desires. He grabbed her arms as he, desperately, tried to hold her closer against him. "Say something now..." he warned her, their lips nearly colliding, "say something, and I'll stop."

She hitched a breath, frozen as she searched for something in his eyes -something to tell her otherwise. No... No, she wanted this.

He thanked the heavens above as his lips came crashing down on hers, kissing her with fervor. His hand snaked up her neck, feeding themselves into her hair with tightened knuckles; the other one wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly against his firm body. Hermione moaned into his lips, her knees weakened at his intensity.

What felt like eternity, lasted for mere minutes before they broke away, lips forced apart. Her hands on his chest, she pushed him away as her elbows locked together. They, each, panted heavily, staring with hooded eyelids. "Merlin..." he said, finally breaking the tension between them. "You're so beautiful." He cupped her face once more, a content smile sat on his face. She leaned into his touch; it...it felt...right.

The music faded to a stop, and the lights slowly brightened, signalling the night's end. It was time for the Bond to close. The once dancing crowd surrounding them jeered in response, but soon scattered as everyone went off to find their friends or go home. Hermione wasn't ready to leave yet. Couldn't they play just one more song? Hermione slid her hand along his arm; his touch encaptivating.

"Hermione! There you are!" Ginny's voice snapped her friend out of her trance as she tore away from Blaise's focus. Both their arms dropped down to their side as the redhead approached the couple, followed by Luna. "We've been looking...for...you..." Her words slowed, as those hazel eyes bouncing between Blaise and Hermione and their dishevelment. A light bulb suddenly switched on. "Ah..." A grin crept onto her face as she realized what had happened earlier.

"Oh, hello," Luna greeted Blaise, then turned to Hermione, "we were just looking for you."

"Yes, Luna, I've already said that." Ginny responded, almost too quickly. "I think we should leave." She grabbed the blonde's arm, turning away.

"Oh-" She didn't even get the opportunity to respond as Hermione watched her two friends briskly walk away, whispering amongst each other. They stole glances back towards the brunette, smirking and giggling. Ginny even flashed a thumbs up.

 _Real subtle, Ginny._ She placed her hands on her hips, pursing her lips as she watched them exit the nightclub before remembering the man standing behind her. Hermione turned around, her personality switching from the confident woman she once was to an almost giddy school girl.

"Nightcap?" He looked at her; his lips quirked, showing off his white teeth.

* * *

She agreed to his suggestion- a drink before turning in for the evening. An opportunity to actually catch up on lost times, she told herself. But what was just one drink turned into two, then three. And before they realized it, they were stumbling into his apartment, lips never ripping apart. Hermione didn't know what to think anymore, whether it was her natural attraction towards the Italian man or if it was the alcohol doing all the work for her. Maybe a little both...

His calloused hands trailed from her slim shoulders, smoothing over her trembling arms, and his fingers entangled in hers, grasping them possessively for the briefest of moments before he gripped her hips, pulling roughly her back against him. _Oh._

He buried his nose in her hair, inhaling as if it was his last breath of air. Gods, she was intoxicating; she was so mouthwatering sweet- an aphrodisiac designed just for him. His fingers dug into her clothed skin as he found himself in swimming in bliss. _Aah...fuck._ She moaned at the exchange, her chest rising and falling quickly.

Blaise opened his eyes, not realizing he closed them. What had she done to him? He turned her around and groaned inwardly at her sight -her flushed skin, her parted lips, her messy hair. _Fuck._ She was more beautiful than how he remembered her. An angel standing before him. A perfect being.

Her hand rose -her turn to memorize his body. She moved towards him, her fingers walked along the length of his neck, her manicured nails scratching his skin, eliciting a groan from him. A light shove against his chest. _Shit._ He swallowed hard as he stumbled backwards, falling back onto the couch, tight and rigid, craving everything from her.

And she stood before him, staring down at the man through hooded eyelids. She leaned forward, propping one knee onto the cushioned pillow, the other one followed soon after, and Hermione cradled his lap; his erection invasive. She moaned, biting her lower lip as she rocked against his tent. _Fuck._ Her hands gripped his shoulders, as her head fell backwards, eyes closing as her hips continued to roll against his girth.

She pulled her body towards him, pressing her forehead onto his, emulating his earlier actions and dipped her head, planting painfully gentle kisses onto him. Blaise gripped the sides of her head, pressing against her mouth desperately, wanting -needing more. Their mouths parted as their intensity grew-teeth, tongue, and lips meshing as they fought for dominance. _Oh..._

"Fuck..." Blaise shuddered, his voice trembling as he pulled away to take a breather. His hands slid down her shoulders, her skin damp from their heated exchange. He continued to move his hands down the curves of her waist, those wide, circling hips- slithered down her smooth thighs. His gaze never left hers as she slowed her ministrations; his heart beat wildly. She raised her brows as his hands slipped under her dress, egging him on. _I dare you..._ her eyes read. Slowly, they crawled, pushing the fabric back, revealing her hips as he realized she wore no undergarments. He hissed as he grasped her arse, digging his fingers into her voluptuous mound. _Shit._

With newly discovered strength, he pushed himself up from the couch, still holding onto the witch as she squealed, surprised. He needed her. He had to have her, now. His hand stayed on her delicious bum as she snaked her legs around his waist, holding on tightly, her chest pressed against his.

He found her mouth once more, sucking desperately at her bottom lip as he near sprinted to his bedroom. A moment longer and he'd be fucking her in the hallway. _Oh._ But she deserved more. She deserved everything. He kicked open the door, entering the dark room, and dropped the beautiful brunette onto the bed below her. She gasped, eyes wide, at the drop as her body bounced against the springy mattress. Moonlight was their only source of light; its soft glow making the witch so much more heavenly. He fell on top of her, burying his face in the crook of her neck, roughly suckling on her skin. He made sure to leave his mark on her -a reminder to her this was all real when morning came. His teeth scored along her riveting skin, consuming her until she mewled, grasping at his hair. And even then, he continued to ravish the woman, determined to find her every erogenous spot.

As he showered her with kisses, he pushed the dress away, pulled it off her delectable body and tossed it across the room. Out of sight, out of mind. Merlin, her petite breasts almost sent him over the edge. Oh, he'd wanted this for so long. This witch, this conquest, his. He cupped her breasts, each globe easily fitting in his hands -but they were the perfect size. So supple. So pert. He kissed each breast lingeringly, licking and flicking her nipple with his tongue. The other was attended by his hand, pinched and pulled gently as her sensitive bust. _Oh._

"Ahh!" She moaned quite suddenly, her body tensing as she felt herself reaching her peak. Her eyes fluttered, unexpected.

He hummed against her flesh, "Mmm...god..." His hand roamed down her stomach and slipped it between her thighs, fingers running along the length of her slit, pushing against her wet folds. He groaned, unaware just how _ready_ she was. _Fuck._ He played with her clit, his middle finger drawing small circles on the sensitive bud, eliciting the tiniest of moans from the her as she involuntarily bucking her hips against his massage.

She pulled him into a kiss, moaning between each breath, and as their mouths continued to crash against each other, he pushed a finger inside her, pushing and pulling against her tight walls. They moaned against each other's kisses. His skilled thumb worked on her clit as he inserted another finger inside her. He tore away from her kisses, panting and staring down at his work. She was so wet and so fucking tight. _Shit._ He moved his fingers in and out, increasing their speed. "Ooh...!" She grabbed onto his arm, nails digging into his skin, as she rocked against his movements, adding friction, adding rhythm. Her breath hitched in small gasps. Her walls tightened, clamping down on his fingers as she squeezed her trembling thighs, claiming his hand as prisoner. Blaise groaned; could this woman be any sexier?

A moan left her lips as Blaise pulled his hand out as she came down from her high. His fingers remained curled as he earned a quiet whimper from the witch. Her body shuddered, sensitive. He brought his two fingers to his lips, focusing his eyes onto hers as he dipped them in, his tongue lapping at the delicious coating. _Fuck_. His eyes fluttered shut. Even her juices were intoxicating, a hint of honey, and he was already obsessed.

Too focused on her taste, he missed the woman playing with the belt of his pants. It wasn't until he felt the jerk of his belt being ripped off did Blaise realize Hermione was taking it to the next step. His eyes snapped open, staring down as she worked on the button and zipper. Her fingers shook as they ran along the waistline; her eyes gazing towards his, her pupils blown as she waited for his permission. He swallowed and nodded. His heart pounded.

Her fingers curled, wrapping around the fabric of his pants as she took her sweet time removing it. But _Merlin_ was it so sexy. Her eyes were now fixed on what was to come next. Her mouth parted as she licked her lips, the tip running along her cupid's bow, like a child waiting for her lollipop.

There it was -a gasp as she finally freed his cock from its restraint. It greeted her with a spring and a bounce. A smirk danced across his lips as she continued to stare; her hand reaching over, gently grasping his cock and slid along his length. _Fuck._ She barely touched him, and he was already at the edge. _Control yourself,_ he reminded as her hands continued to caress his prick. She moved them sensually from the base to the tip, using his dripping precum as lubricant for smoother movement along his cock. Merlin, she was talented. _Fuck,_ she was so good with her hands. He hung his head back, closing his eyes as he focused on her movements. _Oh..._

"Sh-Grang- _Shit-_ " He stared down, brows stitched together and his mouth opened in an 'o' as he watched the witch press her lips against the tip of his cock. She pursed her lips together, pushing against throbbing member, her tongue roughly pressed against the sensitive flesh, and a guttural growl vibrated deep in his chest as she pushed on. _Fuck_. Her mouth was so warm, so wet, so inviting. She bobbed her head, sliding his cock in and out, each time taking in more of him, each time adjusting herself to fit his girth, his length.

"Fuck-" He grabbed her hair, holding her steady as he pushed himself further into her mouth. Her throat tightening as his cock penetrated further, and she groaned, grabbing onto his thighs for further support. The sound of her grunts vibrated against his cock, stiffening it more. Fuck, how was it even possible? The tip of her nose brushed against his pelvic muscles as her lips finally touched the base of his cock. Her throat contracted around the tip, squeezing him, milking him - _fuck_ it was so painfully sweet.

He released his grip as she pulled away with a _pop_ of his cock. The cool air lapping at his prick and sending a different kind of shudder through his body. He needed her warmth. He needed to be in her. His hand found their way to her pretty face, fingertips caressing her cheeks, smoothing over her swollen lips, and finally pinching her chin as he shoved her back onto the bed. With his free hand, he stroked his cock that wept for her touch.

Her eyes, filled with lust, beckoned him as she pulled her knees up, spreading her legs -just for him. _Fuck._ With a clenched jaw and determination, he pulled off his shirt, discarded and forgotten. Those hypnotising russet brown orbs drank in his flawless form: from his pectoral muscles to his defined abs and further down towards his astonishingly cut muscles over his pelvic bones that dipped into a perfect V below his abdomen, trailing down to his delicious cock.

A leg extended, her foot grazed against his hips as they wound against him, resting against his backside. She lured him further. The witch. Did she know what she was doing to him? His hand caressed the same leg, up her thighs, onto her arse. Merlin, her bum was so perfect. His fingers sunk in as he yanked her forward, and earned a gasp as she almost slammed against him. His cock, aching for her pussy, pressed against her clit.

"Please..." she whispered, begging as she lifted her hips in an attempt to roll against him. Her hand found his cock, stroking it up and down in a twisting motion, positioning him against her dripping folds. Blaise groaned at her touch, his fingers wrapping around her tiny wrist. No-he wouldn't lose control. Not yet.

He pressed his thumb against her clit as she begged over and over, begging for the cock that continued to tease her aching pussy, begging for him to fill her. "Fuck me, please!" was the last straw before he finally pressed the head of his cock against her slick opening and slamming into her. "Ooh...yes!" Her words melted to a loud moan as his hips thrust against hers and one hand move between them, rubbing her clit once more.

"Fuck-" He shuddered as her walls clamped down around him, trapping him. She was so _tight_. The thought of taking their session slow and steady went out the window as he continued to pump in and out, each time sheathing his cock entirely. Blaise rolled his hips, relishing in what he believed to be Heaven. His heavy breathing and their sounds of their hips against each other filled the room, but it was her moans that fueled his desire for her.

He thrust into her at a set rhythm as he lifted her hips into an angle, finding her soft spot with each movement. _Fuck,_ she was so wet -practically dripping for him as they continued to make a mess on his bed. "Faster," she demanded, rocking her hips into his with fervor, harder each time as she tried to find that sweet, sweet release. She was close. And by the look on his face -the creases between his brows, his clenched jaws, and desperation in his eyes, he was close to finishing, too. He followed her demands, leaning into his thrusts, speeding up his pace once more as his pelvic muscles rubbed against her clit.

Nails scratched at his back, but he savored the pain as they were sure to leave a mark in the morning -a sign this wasn't all a dream. "Come for me," he whispered into her ear, his teeth biting into her earlobe gently. Just the right amount. _Fuck._..

She groaned with every push and pull of his cock, as the friction on her sensitive clit continued. "Oh, fuck-" She whimpered as her walls clamped onto his shaft while he fucked her relentlessly. Her head spun, and dark spots dotted her blurred vision as Hermione spiraled towards the edge and into an explosive orgasm. She gripped onto his arm, her body seizing and tensing as wave after wave of electric jolts passed through her entirety-from the tip of her fingers to the curl of her toes.

Blaise bit his lip, watching the beautiful woman writhe under him, coming undone, and followed suit. He continued to thrust into her as his cock pulsed and twitched, unloading his hot cum into her magnificent pussy. She squirmed, a content smile drawn on her swollen lips, revelled the feeling of him inside her.

* * *

The darkness of the evening long since disappeared and was replaced with a warm glow of dawn as the sun peaked through the horizon, peeking into Blaise's bedroom -illuminating the two bodies as they continued to move in sync. Sweat rolled and glistened off their body; the bed sheet stained with their sex. She rocked against his hips as she cradled his lap, her hands cupping his face, possessively as they continued to share passionate kisses. His hands rested on her beautifully, round arse, kneading and, occasionally, slapping her cheeks.

 _Bzzz. Bzzz._

She furrowed her brows at the intruding sound pulling her out of her daze. Blaise leaned his head back against the wall as their make-out session ended, peering at the enchantress through heavy eyelids.

Hermione pulled away as the buzzing continued. It was her wand, she suddenly remembered. Her eyes scanning the room and for the first time she really noticed what his home looked was like. His bedroom was clean and near empty, save for the bed, a desk, and a closet. A single decore hung from the walls -a Slytherin banner. Their clothes were the only things out of place as they were scattered all over the floor.

 _Bzzz. Bzzz._

It bothered her. Where was the damned wand?

She peeled herself from Blaise. He groaned at her absence, and his hand found their way onto his cock, stroking, as he stayed ready for her. Hermione lied flat on the mattress as she dipped her head, hanging over the edge and looked underneath the bed. _Ah._ She reached for the device as the numbers six and thirty flashed bright blue. _Shit._ She needed to go home and get ready for work. Oh, she was going to get nothing done today as she realized exhaustion hit her with full force. Hermione grunted, stretching her arms as she shifted her weight. The tip of her fingers barely touched the wand when she felt Blaise's skin press against hers. "Oh!" She gasped, arching her back as she turned to look at the man.

A mischievous smirk flitted across his lips for a moment before he slipped his cock into her sensitive core. "Mmm, fuck..." She groaned, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as the thought getting ready for work slipped from her mind. He gripped at her ass, absolutely enthralled as his fingers sunk into her flesh. His hips rolled as he fucked her slowly, savoring her tight pussy. "Blaise..." she groaned, as the wand buzzed, yet again.

"Mmm?" He leaned into her, kissing her shoulders, running his tongue down her skin, sending shivers down her spine as her walls fastened down on his cock.

Regrettably, she muttered, "I have to go work..." though her actions proved to him otherwise. He nipped at her neck as he quickened his pace, fucking her with vigor as she squirmed beneath him moaning and shouting unintelligible words. "Mmfuck-Merlin, yes!" She bit down onto the edge of the mattress as she quivered, her pussy seizing as she achieved orgasm. How many times did this man send her over the edge? She lost count after four.

"I can't-" he grunted, "believe you're still so tight-" Blaise groaned as he unloaded into her, finally, truly, spent. He leaned into her, resting his chest against her back. An arm dangled next to hers as the other scooped her hair to the side, kissing the back of her neck. "So beautiful..." He muttered, staying still for a moment longer before he rolled off her and pulled out her wand from under the bed. "Looking for this?"

She smiled, taking the wand from him but he quickly pulled it away, teasing. "Blaise!" She near tackled the man as she tried to reach for it, but his arm was much longer than hers. He wrapped one around her waist, pulling her on top of him, planting a gentle kiss onto her lips before returning her treasured wand. "Thank you," she muttered between each peck. 6:50 was now flashing in her face; the alarm blaring.

A groan. Couldn't she just...skip? And spent the day with the sexy Italian Adonis? Hermione hopped off the bed and proceed to collapse onto the floor. Her knees were weakened from their fuck session, and it hadn't dawned on her until now. A laugh escaped her lips as she looked over her shoulders towards the man still lounging on his bed, watching the clumsy witch.

"You could just stay here."

"Tempting," she pushed herself up, her knees buckling as if she was a newborn fawn just learning to walk for the first time. "But I must go." Hermione picked up her dress, the only thing she wore last night, and slipped it on with ease. "I had fun."

Blaise sat up, frowning as his brows creased. "Granger-"

"Hm?" She turned to him as she adjusted herself.

"This... I don't want this to just be one night." He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and grabbed her hand, and with ease, pulled her into him once more. "I...I want to keep seeing you."

Her heart pounded for the nth time since she reacquainted herself with Blaise at _Bond_. Why was it her heart kept aching at his words? Why was she getting nervous -after an entire evening of frolicking in bed? She swallowed and opened her mouth to say, something, but nothing would come out. He noticed her hesitancy.

"I-God, I've had my eyes on you for so long," he admitted, looking down at her hands as he caressed them with his thumb. "I wanted you before Draco. I wanted you since we were fourteen. You've... you've always been so brave, so headstrong, so beautiful -even more beautiful now." His eyes found hers once more. "I've waited so long."

Merlin, what was he saying? For over ten years, he'd waited?

"And I've waited for Draco to move on," Blaise clenched his jaws and her heart bled at the mention at his name. "You know he's been dating Astoria Greengrass- things... have been pretty serious for some time. I can help you... help you learn to love again."

His voice had grown soft during his speech. Blaise was never a man of many words, but God, was he so determined.

"Give me a chance. I'll make you fall in love with me."


	2. Love You

**A/N:** Thank you everyone who read and reviewed the first chapter. It meant a great deal to me to see you all enjoyed it so much! This story, as I've mentioned before, ended up becoming something really important to me -for a lot of different reasons. Thank you **Mr. Benzedrine** for being a friend when I needed one and for proofing this chapter. You've been a beacon of light since I've met you and I couldn't have asked for a better friend. :)

This is a pretty long chapter -so grab a cup of coffee or even a blanket to wrap yourself in.

Responses to previous reviews will be at the end of the chapter!

 **x x x**

Before each page break ("_"), I want you to take a pause, and count to five before you start reading again. You'll be jumping forward in time, and a clear mind is the best way to begin reading each section. Anything written in _italics_ means you'll be going _backwards_ in time. It sounds a little confusing, but trust me -it's good.

* * *

 **Chapter 2 - Love you**

Don't treat me like I'm naive

I understand what this is, what you mean

I'm not your man, I'm the broken one

In a jealous game, 'cause I get choked up

When I speak your name

 _Diamond and Silver_ \- Barcelona

"You remembered my birthday?" She sounded so surprised as she laughed. Hermione made an attempt to pull down the blindfold she was forced to put on, but he quickly smacked away her hand, leaving a pouting witch to ponder on just _where_ she was being led to.

"Of course I remembered," he whispered. His voice was low and ever so sexy. It always sent shivers down her spine when he whispered like that. "I've never forgotten. September nineteenth, nineteen-seventy-nine." Her heart skipped, elated. His hands rested on her shoulders as he stood behind her, turning her when they needed to turn and helping her when they had to ascend several steps. "Oh, and keep your voice down."

Hermione tried to look at her boyfriend, though it was a fruitless effort. She whispered in return, "But why?"

He rolled his eyes, though an excited smile was written on his face. "Do you ever stop asking questions?"

"Do you really want to know the answer to that?"

"Given that you answered my question with a question? No, no, I don't."

A triumphant grin danced its way across her plum-tinted lips, and a playful shove came from the man behind her as he conceded.

Once they reached their destination, he pulled back her shoulders, forcing her to stop as she leaned back against his muscular frame. She inhaled, taking in a familiar scent of mint and parchment. He always smelled like old books, for some reason. Not that she ever complained. Oh, _never_ that. "Alright," he continued to whisper, his lips brushing against her ear as he tucked in a stray hair. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, excited. Hermione could barely contain herself as he pulled down the blindfold. She squinted, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the sudden bright light, and _oh_ -they opened wider as she realized just where they stood. "Oh!" She gasped, her hands covering her mouth, holding back a squeal, though her feet tapped excitedly on the ground. "Is this...Is this where I think we are?"

" _Happy twenty-second birthday, Hermione," he whispered, kissing her cheek as he pulled the blindfold off the frizzy haired witch._

 _Her eyes opened, wide in wonder as she stared in awe at the towers upon towers of books surrounding them. They stood at the heart of the oldest library in the world- the al-Qarawiyyin library in Morocco. It'd been recently restored, finally opened to the public. There was over one-thousand years of history in this place._

Sunlight shone through the circle top windows, high above the second floor, spotlighting random locations on the ground floor. The sandstone marbled columns stood erect, proudly holding up the dome shaped roof. Simple mosaic patterns stretched across the ceiling as they came together to a circular opening at the very top and more of the sun's rays beamed through. Everything was coated in gold, nothing less from the biggest library in the world. And it glimmered so beautifully under the sun's smile.

Hermione ran forward, grasping the railing as she leaned forward, tossing her legs into air. Excitement oozed out of her. "This is amazing," she whispered. "The Library of Congress!" She whipped her head around towards the quiet man. "How did you-?" She shook her head, gesturing towards the atheneum.

"A magician never reveals his secret." He simply gave her a mysterious smile, holding his arms out towards the woman as she ran into his arms. Two months and thirteen days -and she was already falling for him.

"This is simply amazing, Blaise." She looked up at her boyfriend.

 _Hermione tried to tie her hair back as the sun continued beat down in Morocco in September, but the hair band quickly snapped as they refused to be contained, poofing out bigger than it was previously. She sighed, as she sat on a bench outside in the courtyard of al-Qarawiyyin, fanning herself in the heat while her head was buried deep in old books, absorbing ancient knowledge lost to the rest of the world._

 _Draco emerged from one of the many entrances of the library, carrying two bottles of water, perspiration rolling down the sides of his temple. "Here." he handed a bottle to his girlfriend before removing his wand from his holster. "Protego Totalum." A glassy reflective barrier charmed itself around the two magical folk, and immediately the sun's harsh rays stopped. "Why didn't you put one up earlier?"_

" _I wanted the full experience of being in Fes," she stated as a matter-of-factly, looking up at her boyfriend with a raised brow. He lifted his wand once more to dispel the barrier, but Hermione stopped him. "It's okay. I was getting hot anyway." She gently closed the book,_ Grimoire. " _Thank you for this, Draco. This... has been the best birthday anyone's ever given me."_

 _He kissed her._

"Oooh..." She gasped as her hands gripped onto the handrail. Her cheeks, flushed, as she slammed forward, her chest pressing against the marbled bar. She turned her head, peering over her shoulders at the man behind her; Hermione's eyes glazed over his concentrated look as he fucked her mercilessly. "Mmmfuck- _Blaise_!"

A hand covered her swollen lips, and he shushed her, reminding the witch they were in a library -the Library of Congress, no less. The thought only made her wetter as she tightened her walls around his violent prick. _Shit._ He hissed, dipping his fingers into her mouth, silencing her further while with his other hand, he dug his slender fingers into her hips as he slowly withdrew himself. She whimpered against his fingers at the loss of his wondrous cock. "Mmm...you like my cock? Do you want me to keep fucking you? Hm?" He growled into her ears, teasing her as he pushed the head of his dick inside her wet folds. It was only when she desperately nodded her head, did he slam his cock back into her pussy.

She groaned as he quickened his pace, his cock pounding roughly into her. Hermione hung her head, lost in the bliss of their activity. He grabbed her ponytail, yanking her head back, forcing her to look out at the library. Her eyes darted back and forth, watching the unsuspecting patrons go on about their day as she and Blaise fucked relentlessly a floor above them. A faint haze shimmered under the bright sunlight, surrounding the intimate couple, as the _protego totalum_ charm was cast earlier. While the muggles down below wouldn't notice their presence, any noise too loud could potentially dispel the enchantment.

Blaise reached under her clothes, slipping his hand under her bra, pushing the fabric up, and squeezed her breasts -her sensitive buds pebbling at his rough touch. He leaned forward, kissing the nape of her neck, smirking to himself as his love bite from the day before stood out proudly. She shuddered as his soft lips pressed against her already sensitive skin.

Moans continued to slip from her lips as Blaise rolled his hips into her. _Fuck_ , she was so wet for him; the idea of being caught turned her on so much that her lovely juices gushed out every time he slammed back into her soaking pussy, trailing down her legs and even making their own mark onto the carpet of the national library. The best part? It wasn't even his idea.

Hermione grabbed onto the hand holding onto her hips, pulling it towards her pussy. She was so close -she could feel it. Just a little more. A small push over the edge.

He grinned through heavy pants, his fingers slipping between her dripping folds, finding her clit between his pointer and middle, pinching it between the pads of his fingers. "Mmm...!" Her knees quaked at his touch as Blaise continued to tease her. The feeling was overwhelming, but it was just what she needed as she cried out loudly, tearing away from the fingers that were shoved into her mouth. Hermione hung her head over the handrail, her silky brown hair cascading over her face, veiling her tense expression as her orgasm hit her with full force.

"Aah- _fuck_ ," Blaise groaned as he felt her walls spasm around his cock. Her pussy always felt so amazing whenever she came as she tried to milk him for all he's worth. He slammed into her a few more times as she continued to whimper, delicate from her orgasm, before finally unloading into her. His cock twitched, filling her insides as he pulled out slowly, and she rubbed her thighs together, savoring his warmth pooling around her cunt.

"Happy twenty-sixth birthday, beautiful," he whispered, kissing her cheek.

* * *

 _Ooh, you got me restless, I can't sleep alone, You better be waiting 'Til I get home._

The lead singer of _Barcelona_ whispered soothing tunes into the microphone, swaying the hearts of many as they swooned to his serenade. Deep tremor of the bass and chimes of the electric guitar echoed through the opera-like venue, amplifying their already sensual melody. And crisp snare of the of the hi-hat cymbal and steady beat of the bass-drum set a steady rhythm in the background for the audience to dance. Whether it was with their lovers or friends, everyone was having a splendid All Hallows' Eve.

Especially Hermione. Especially Blaise.

They were seated high above the sold out auditorium, the entire Gallery section cleared out just for them. From where they stood, individuals from the crowd melded into one giant dancing mass. Shoulders touching shoulders, bodies pressing against bodies, and strangers quickly becoming friends. People's wands were _lumos'd_ , pointed upwards as it emulated neon lights, bobbing up and down to the beat of the music. Giant strobing balloons tossed above the crowd's head, bouncing each and every direction as it added to the excitement.

Oh, how Hermione wished she was down there dancing with the crowd, enjoying the music as it made love to her soul. How she ached to be in the first row, to extend her hands out to the singer, to be noticed by him -even if it was just a smile. How she longed to be treated as normal, instead of royalty. Oh, but Hermione didn't have the heart to tell him. She didn't have the courage to tell the man who showered her with lavish gifts and undivided attention that his surprises weren't the ones she sought after.

So, instead she danced to herself. And she danced for him, enjoying his strong arms caging in her slender frame as his hands rested on the handrails. His chest pressed against her back as he moved along with the sway of her hips.

 _Her head hung low as Hermione pumped her hand out to the sky, palming the humid night sky to the fast beat rhythmic beat of Gorgon City's Unmissable. Sweat and rainwater mixed onto her skin, drenching her shirt and shorts as the clouds continued to shower overhead. Her lips moving to the lyrics of the song, though her voice was drowned out by the booming music. Her usual frizzy, brown hair was straightened and wet, clinging onto the sides of her face and down her back as she danced away the evening._

'The sun's gonna shine for the last time, and I don't wanna miss it all. Let's make it unmissable.'

 _All around her were other music festival lovers, who also danced, laughed, and sang along to the popular song. Everyone's bodies bumped against each other, sharing heat as the temperature dropped in the desert. Lazers, from the stage, danced to the pulse of the music, blinking to every beat as the performers continued to hype up the crowd. Glow sticks were thrown, scattered in the air as the artists dropped the beat. Cheers and screams echoed._

 _This. This is how she enjoyed her concerts._

He kissed her temple, placing his hands on her hips, rocking them in place as the song continued in its sensual pace. Her hand snaked behind his neck as Hermione rested the back of her head against his chest, feeling his heart pound alongside the drum. His fingers traced upwards, over her stomach, sending chills running down her spine. Three months and twenty-five days, and he was still capable of exciting her with just a simple touch.

A hand cupped her breast, while the other grazed along the waistband of her shorts and skillfully unbuttoned and unzipped it. Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes stared down at the crowd. No spells were conjured this time, but everyone was too focused on the stage to pay attention to Hermione and Blaise. Yet, just the thought of wandering eyes got her hot and heavy, ready to make a show for them if it were to happen. His hand slipped under her knickers, cupping her mound as his middle finger found her clit.

"Ahh..." She sighed, folding forward as he pressed against her sensitive button, slowly building her up as the song reached its climax. Hermione arched her back, pushing her arse against his hardened crotch, and he groaned in return.

 _I want you for so long. Tell me is it so long, even if we fall in love, fall in love?_

Blaise pulled her shorts down, watching her arse pop out as it was released from its constraint, allowing the jeans to pool around her ankles. Though he'd long since memorized every dip and curve of her beautiful body, it wasn't enough. Looking at her gorgeous figure always made him want more, never to be satiated. His hand found its way back towards her pussy, discovering her wet from the excitement of being naked in public with no barriers to hide her.

Two fingers plunged into her core as she nearly buckled. Her walls tightened around his slender digits, caught off guard by his tactics. "Fuck-" Hermione moaned as he pulled out slowly only to shove them back inside her roughly. Her eyes fluttered closed as she leaned forward, sticking her ass out towards her boyfriend. No longer was music the center of her attention.

 _Arms draped over her shoulders briefly before he pulled her into his chest, hugging her. Their wet clothes smacked against each others as Hermione laughed, looking up at the man who claimed her. His beautiful grey eyes gently bore into hers as water dripped from the tip of his nose onto her cheeks. His hair was wet like hers as they shared a fleeting kiss before focusing their attention back onto the stage._

 _He had grabbed her hands at some point during the song and pulled her through the crowd, from the back to the middle and eventually, they made their way towards the front of the dancing horde. Hermione smiled at the blonde as he, too, jumped and danced to the beat of the song._

'We made it this far, stay in my arms. Let's make it unmissable. Whoa, let's make it unmissable.'

 _It was their first time here; she'd only heard about it through friends or read it in articles of the biggest music festival during All Hallow's Even in Indio, California. She's always wanted to go, and tonight, Draco surprised her._

 _Hermione smiled at Draco as rain pelted against his pale skin. Never would there ever be a man who would understand her like Draco. How lucky was she? He glanced back, noticing her stare, and pulled her into his embrace once more -just before he lifted her and set her on his shoulders. She screamed, throwing her arms in the air once more as the crowd around cheered in unison._

 _It was the best night of her life._

Her elbows were propped against the handrail as her hands grasped the back of her thighs. Her nails dug into her flesh, but it wouldn't bother her until later as it left very obvious marks while she wore shorts. Hermione hung her head backwards with her hair dangling over the edge.

The beautiful melody of _Barcelona_ had long disappeared from her focus. Her eyes had been shut for quite some time, ignoring the dancing crowd and mind blowing performance. But Hermione wasn't missing out, the lack of visual sense helped her intensify the feeling of his hot cock pushing into her tight pussy. And her lips parted into an 'o' as she relished in the familiar sensation.

Her cunt twitched as he pounded against her slender frame. The sound of their bodies crashing into each other was drowned out by external noises.

Blaise pushed against the back of her knees as her legs propped against his sturdy shoulders -one of her heels falling onto the ground in the process. Her toes curled as he thrusted, his pace changing as the music switched and Hermione moaned, as the beat slowed. Merlin, she was so close, but the tingling feeling in the pit of her stomach went away as the next single turned to a ballad. He chuckled at her reaction, noting her frustration.

 _Let me touch you right, give you my everything. Everything you ain't got time, baby believe me._

He rather enjoyed the slow pace he'd set for the two of them; he could feel so much more of her fantastic pussy as it tried to suck him back in, refusing to let go. "Mmm...but isn't this a perfect song?" Blaise whispered, nipping at her earlobe before he dipped in, pressing his lips against Hermione's soft ones. She moaned in agreement as she parted her lips, allowing his tongue to trace over the rows of her teeth, allowing their tongues to tango. "Open your eyes," he demanded between breaths. "I want to see all of you."

And so she fluttered them open, her eyes focusing on his as he continued to force himself deeper inside her, groaning blissfully each time he repeated his action.

Blaise reached down between her legs, flicking her swollen clit, and he groaned as she tightened around him, increasing his snail-like pace. As hard as she tried, her eyes couldn't stay open as pleasure rippled through her body, and they were shut once more. A smirk set on his lips as she hung back her head, shouting what he could only imagine to be words of pleasure as they were all drowned out by the roar of the crowd.

"Faster! Faster!" she mouthed, and he obeyed, plunging himself in and out of her dripping pussy. She was so close, she could feel it. It was right there.

He gritted his teeth, determined to have her come; he reached down between them once more, rubbing circles on her clit, drawing gasps with every push and pull of his cock. She cried as her world spun every which way; her body spasming as her walls clamped onto him, pulling him in as he, desperately, fucked her, ready for his own release.

"Aaah- _fuck_! I'm coming." He groaned, creasing his brows, as his hips jerked into the last few thrusts, finally coming inside her.

They stayed as they were for a moment, catching their breaths. His gently caressed her flushed cheeks as he stared into her beautiful orbs. Her lips curved into a shy smile as soon as she remembered where they were. "Looks like we missed half the show," Hermione laughed as she straightened herself out, turning her attention back towards the performers. He wrapped his arms across her shoulders, resting his chin on the top of her head as they finished the show.

 _They bounced from tent to tent that evening, getting their fill of different genre of music, meeting people from all walks of life, and stuffing their mouths with festival food. Sleep never arrived that night. And when the music stopped, Draco and Hermione sat at the top of a hill, watching the remaining music goers file off to bed as the sun slowly peaked beyond the horizon._

 _If this was love, then she wished it to never end._

* * *

Snowflakes slowly fluttered onto the streets of Diagon Alley. Lamps sitting along the sidewalk flickered on as the moon slowly disappeared behind thick clouds. The wind brushed against those who still dared to walk about this cold evening. Couples huddled close together, wrapping their jackets tightly around their bodies, sharing scarves and holding hands. Children, red on their noses, shrieked joyous laughter as they chucked snowballs at each other or ran around in circles trying to catch snow flurries on their tongue.

Magical snowmen were conjured as they rolled around singing carols to those still sauntering about. And one by one, lights in the stores of the town turned off, closing their businesses for the day. Almost everyone closed early this day -to spend time with their loved ones, to celebrate Christmas Eve.

Little ones would wait by the trees, waiting for the clock to chime midnight before opening their presents. Lovers would spend romantic evenings with each other at home, or perhaps even at a nice restaurant, exchanging gifts and expressing their love.

Hermione and Blaise were no different from these ordinary couples. They walked, hand-in-hand, watching snow fall from the Heavens, watching their breaths appear in small puffs, and watching each other in perfectly content silence. Under his arm, he carried two boxes of splendidly wrapped presents, one for his mother and the other for his girlfriend. She would meet his mother for the first time, and being nervous wouldn't even begin cover how she felt.

"Do you think she'll like me?"

 _Silence curtained the dining table as dinner was served. The clinking of utensil against china plates echoed through the dining room as words failed to leave her lips. Her heart beat wildly, threatening to jump out of her throat as she felt the Medusa-like stares burning into her head._

" _I...love what you've done with the house, Narcissa," Hermione tried. Merlin, she tried so hard. She even put on her best smile. She_ even _threw on her best dress,_ even _had Ginny do her hair and make-up. She_ even _straightened her hair. "These decorations are quite lovely. I've never seen a Christmas tree with so many..." Her words wavered as the woman sitting adjacent to her sigh loudly. "...glowing bulbs."_

 _Her eyes fell onto her plate as she picked at the food, stabbing her fork into the roasted chicken. Her appetite had long since left. Silence was welcomed as if it was an old friend._

 _After a few moments, Narcissa cleared her throat, and Hermione glanced up. Though she addressed her son, the woman's cold eyes were locked onto her warm chocolate ones as Narcissa patted her red lips with a napkin. "Draco dear," she spoke up, her eyes never leaving the younger witch's. "Did you hear Astoria Greengrass is back from her trip to Paris?"_

The door slowly opened as a house elf popped his head out. "Master Zabini," he greeted Blaise, opening the door further. They stepped in, and Hermione stared at the entryway in awe. The manor, while adorned in green and silver holiday decorations, was beautiful. Artwork from master painters hung on the walls, and the portraits even waved to Hermione as she passed by. She smiled, for a moment, forgetting she was about to meet the famously beautiful witch, Vernonia Zabini.

A Christmas tree, sitting at the center of the foyer, stretched nearly thirty metres, extending past the second floor and third floor, almost touching the ceiling. An assortment of candies, ranging from candy canes to gingerbread men, dangled off branches. The ornaments swung, ever so gently, as the dancing clay angels bounced their way around the tree, singing quiet Christmas choruses. At the top of the tree (Hermione craned her neck to see the display) sat a beautiful golden star which beamed brightly every few seconds.

Blaise released his hold on Hermione's hand as he stripped away the heavy coat and scarf, handing it to the house elf who waited by his feet. Hermione followed suit, thanking the elf as it Disapparated. Not long after, the sound of heels clacking down the stairs caught their attention as a beautiful woman glided over towards her son.

"Oh, my dear Blaise!" The woman cooed, cupping the young Zabini's face in her hands. She gave him a kiss on both cheeks as he tried to wring himself free, embarrassed his mother would treat him this way in front of his girlfriend. Whomever had described Vernonia Zabini in the past was apparently terrible with their choice of words, because 'beautiful' didn't come close. The woman resembled a Greek goddess, cut straight out of the books, come to life. "I don't see enough of you, Blaise. Please, do come home more often." She kept babying her son as he continued to free himself from her grasp.

It didn't take long for Vernonia to notice an awkward guest still standing by the entryway. The older witch smiled and, what Hermione would swear by, floated over towards her. Her heart pounded out of control. She swallowed as the goddess approached her, a nervous smile flitted across her lips.

 _The fireplace roared with vigor as they sat in the living room. The usual silence sitting in between them. Hermione grasped onto a hot cup of rooibos tea, quietly blowing away the steam, cooling it down before taking a hesitant sip. Draco sipped on a glass of scotch, while Narcissa opened a present given to her by Hermione._

 _Her heart throbbed uncontrollably as she watched the woman pull out her gift. A jewelry box covered in green cubic zirconia. She remembered Draco once mentioning his mother's love for expensive jewelry._

 _She turned the box around, flipping it open, as if she expected to find something inside, then closing it. "How...lovely," Narcissa drawled. "It's so... quaint. Just like you, Miss Granger." A pause. "Pipsy!"_ Pop _! and a small house elf appeared next to the woman. "Please be sure to throw out_ all _the trash tonight." She handed the box to her servant._

Vernonia and Hermione sat next to the Christmas tree, each opening their presents from Blaise. The older witch gushed over the floral hair comb accessory which was littered in diamonds. It glistened under the blinking Christmas lights, and even the petals would do a little dance every now and then. "What's in yours, darling?" Vernonia asked the younger witch as she slipped the accessory onto her hair.

Hermione delicately removed the wrapping paper, finding it too beautiful to just tear away at the piece. It was a small red velvet box. Hermione glanced over at Blaise, who was sitting on a marble stair, sipping away at his dessert wine. He flashed her a smile as their eyes locked. When she opened the box, she found a necklace with a golden lion and ruby red eyes as the pendant. A gasp escaped Vernonia's lips as Hermione happily showed her the present. "Well, put it on!" The woman urged, and then ushered her son to assist his girlfriend.

Blaise set his glass down on the step, gently taking the box from her hands and pulling out the necklace from its little home. The lion mewled as it was disturbed, and Hermione laughed, surprised at the animated feline. "A lion for my _feisty_ Gryffindor," he whispered into her ear as he clasped the hook around the latch.

A blush danced its way across her cheeks as she looked down at her necklace. It was perfect. Hermione never did care for large, gaudy jewelry, but her Christmas gift was just right. The lion pawed at its face, licking the bottom of its paw. "I love it," she said as she kissed his lips.

Five months and nineteen days, and she felt as if she finally found a home.

 _Standing in front of her vanity mirror, Hermione wiped away at her makeup as streams of tears spilled out. As much as she tried to blink them away, they wouldn't stop. What a disastrous evening! No matter what it was she did, no matter what she said, Narcissa would never give her son approval of his girlfriend._

 _It didn't matter if she was donned in expensive clothing or jewels. It didn't matter if she had the best makeover ever. Hell, it wouldn't even matter to Narcissa if Hermione_ looked _like her -the woman would still hate her._

' _Filthy muggleborn.' She thought to herself. It's all the purebloods ever see. A war heroine degraded to nothing._

* * *

From where they stood, Hermione could finally understand why Paris was called the 'City of Lights'. Merlin, it was beautiful. The flickering of the lights of the stores and houses mimicked the shimmer of the stars in the sky above, almost like they were communicating to each other from millions of kilometres away. Her cheeks hurt -not from the freezing wind blowing against their faces, rather from smiling. From the moment they arrived, Hermione couldn't stop smiling. Tonight, they stood at the highest point of the yellow Eiffel Tower on New Year's Eve.

People from all over the world gathered at the base of the tower. Performances were held at the center of the tower and a ferris wheel was set up right behind it. Christmas lights were still strung up on the trees lining the overcrowded street. Cameras flashed, people talked, and music blared. The air buzzed with excitement, and it certainly rubbed off on Hermione. She wanted to go down there and experience it all.

Blaise wrapped his arms around her, planting his frozen cheeks next to hers. She squealed laughing, trying to push the man away, "I'm already cold enough!"

"Share the warmth!" He grinned as he lifted her, spinning her in a circle as he embraced her tightly. "You know, this has been one amazing journey with you so far." Blaise pressed his forehead against hers as he stared deeply into her eyes. The corner of his lips twitched upwards in a faint smile.

"It really has been quite the adventure, hasn't it?"

 _A warm glow pulsed slowly in the background as the fireplace crackled, licking at the firewood as Draco tossed it in. In his other hand, he nursed a glass of scotch, swirling the liquid around in circles as it lapped at the melting ice cube. Hermione was cuddled up on the couch a few feet away; a light comforter draped over her knees as it hugged her chest. A book was propped against her thighs, and a thumb bookmarking her page. Her eyes were closed as her head rested on the back of the couch, her breathing melodic and quiet._

 _He sat down next to her, picking up her legs as he set it over his and scooted in closer towards the slumbering witch. He stuck a hand down between the cushions of the couch and fished out a remote for the television which sat above the fireplace. Her eyes fluttered open as the disturbance, and she yawned. "Good morning, sunshine," Draco winked as he pressed the red power button on the device._

" _How long was I asleep?" She leaned in towards him, her chin resting on his shoulder as she planted gentle kisses along his jawline._

 _The telly clicked each time Draco flipped through the channels. "Mmm...a good few hours, I'd say."_

" _You didn't wake me?" Hermione pouted, her arms snaking across his chest as she turned to watch the tube._

 _A smirk danced across his lips as he kept his eyes on the screen. "It's not midnight, yet."_

"Do you have a new year's resolution?" Hermione sat on top of the handrail, facing away from the crowd and at her boyfriend. She softly kicked her heels against the bars, curious to know whether he celebrated resolutions or not.

His strong hands gripped onto her waist as he supported her. A fall would have been quite a way to end the year. "You'll laugh."

"As if!" The witch, then, laughed, running her fingers through his hair, tracing her fingers along the edge of his hairline. "C'mon, now. Tell me!"

Blaise shot her a skeptical look, but sighed in defeat, knowing he would never win an argument against the stubborn Hermione Granger. "Well...What if...I told you my goal was to make you fall for me?"

" _There! There!" She pointed to the telly as Draco clicked past it. "Go back!" She smacked his arm when he didn't listen._

 _When he finally came back to the channel, Hermione finally relaxed back in his arm, resting a hand over his chest as she felt the steady rhythm of his heart beat. It was a showing broadcasted in the Victoria Embankment area where the London Eye and Big Ben. The local time was 11:27 and the crowd in the tube was growing wild._

" _What's your new year's resolution, Draco?" She glanced up at him and he looked down, and pursed his lips. "Mine-" When she piped up when he failed to answer in time. "-is to read more books."_

" _Of course it would be." He chuckled as he sipped on his drink._

" _I'm not done!" Hermione smacked him once more, earning a hiss from her boyfriend. "And I want to travel more and see the rest of the world."_

" _Travel the world more?" Draco arched a brow, surprised at her answer. "That doesn't sound much like you."_

 _She looked down at her hand, picking at her nails. "You're right -it was my parents' dream." Silence fell between them as the tube continued on with its broadcast showing the year's previous accomplishments._

 _The blonde sighed, running his fingers through her hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. With the pads of his fingers, he rubbed her earlobe. "Well, my resolution is to travel the world with the love of my life and to help her accomplish all her goals and dreams."_

Their breaths puffed out into little clouds as they listened to the countdown down below. All the different language blended into one. It was simply amazing. Her cheeks were flushed as she jumped in excitement, counting along with the rest: "three, two, one!"

Cheers of the crowd was deafening as fireworks erupted, soaring up towards the heavens, whizzing past their eyes, disappearing in an instant before exploding into thousands of fiery sparks. And they would continue to send fireworks high into the sky for the next several minutes. Some of them shoot straight up before detonating, others whirled in a spiral- some shattered, and Hermione's favorite were the ones which tumbled like magenta waterfalls or floating in the air for a moment as it was going to shower everyone in silver dust.

It was a whole different world -watching the fireworks from over nine-hundred meters in the sky. Hermione reached out her hand; it seemed as if she could grasp it in the hand and pocket it as a souvenir.

"Happy New Year," he whispered, grasping the hand that dared to grab an exploding firework, tangling his fingers around hers.

She smiled. "Happy new year, Blaise."

Their lips locked once more as fireworks continued to burst, sharing the first kiss in the new year. And it only took five months and twenty-six days for Hermione to whisper those three special words to Blaise.

" _I love you, Draco." She smiled into their embrace, showering him with kisses as she crawled over him, pushing him back onto the couch. "Happy New Year."_

" _Mmm...Love you, too, Hermione."_

* * *

The door opened and closed quietly as Hermione stepped into a large beige room. Visiting the place was always depressing. Not in the sense that Hermione was unhappy being here, but the room was so...dreary. White walls with no decorations. White beds. White desks. White chairs. And one window that faced the backyard of the facility. There wasn't even a garden outside. Depressing. Gloomy. Heartbreaking.

But somehow, every year, sitting on the nightstand would be a bouquet of red and yellow snapdragons. It started almost nine years ago, and this year was no different. She gently touched the petals. A faint smile appeared on her lips as she looked at the it. As long as it added color to this _depressing_ room.

"Happy Valentine's day," she announced with her cheeriest tone, turning towards the two people who occupied the room. They sat on rocking chairs, swinging back and forth with the push of the ball of their feet, ignoring the young witch as she greeted them.

She visited them every year. February fourteenth was their anniversary. This year, they would be married for twenty nine years, but they wouldn't know. They've lost all sense of time and space. They didn't know where they were or even who they were. They didn't even know they were married to each other.

The corner of her lips twitched as she tried to maintain her smile. It was always so difficult coming over. She dreaded it every single time. She hated having to witness their deteriorating condition. They never got better, not since she _fucked up_ the spell. It was all her fault.

She fucked up.

"Mum..." She placed a tender hand over the woman's, then looked over towards the man who sat next to her mother. "Dad. I hope you're doing well. Today, I brought some delicious snacks. Don't tell Nurse Jenkins, though. She'll get mad." Hermione placed a finger over her lips, looking at her parents with innocent eyes. "I think you'll love it, though."

 _The snapdragon's petals closed and bloomed as Draco tickled them. He waited for Hermione to set up her parents' picnic on the table. She pulled out a checkered cloth, spreading it over the desk and proceeded to remove snacks and drinks from the woven basket she snuck in._

" _Today we have chocolate-covered strawberries," she showed it to her parents. "It's Mum's favorite," she said as she set it on the table. "Then we have some foie gras for Dad. He never enjoyed sweets but would eat these like it was candy." She laughed quietly, twisting open the can of duck liver._

 _Draco peered over at his girlfriend. Though she kept a smile on her face, he could read the pain behind her eyes. "Let me help," he offered, taking the butter knife from her hand. "Why don't you catch your parents up on recent events, hm?"_

"Today we have some heart-shaped cookies, chocolate-covered strawberries, some marbled red velvet cheesecake. And I haven't forgotten you, Father!" Hermione grinned at the man who stared at the white wall in front of him, his face blank. "I brought you foie gras and some rabbit patè!" She showed him the tiny mason jar filled with his favorite dessert. "You'll have to be careful how much you eat. They're so fatty."

But they were far from overweight. In fact, Hermione took notice of their significant weight loss. Their cheeks were sunken in and their skin, grey, devoid of color, outlined their bones. It was terrifying.

"Come now, let's celebrate your twenty-ninth anniversary!"

" _Happy twenty-fifth anniversary, Dad -Mum. Can you believe it? A quarter of a century you've been together... I love you." She kissed them lightly atop their head before moving back towards Draco._

 _He grasped and squeezed her hand as she watched the nurse tuck her parents into bed. The only thing they knew was the bed meant to sleep, and it was the only time they showed any signs of emotion. Sleep was the only time when her parents looked like themselves. Relieved that the eternal day finally ended. Hermione always wished to spend more time with them, but visitations hours were only so long before it was lights out. She wished she could visit them more, but it broke her heart every time._

 _To watch the ghosts of her parents slip further and further away._

 _She always hated herself after visiting. She always felt like the worst daughter in the world. She always felt like a failure._

" _C'mon," he whispered, tugging at her hand when the nurse opened the door. Her eyes began to brim over with tears at the thought of having to leave her parents, but what else would she do? Stare and watch them all night? If only it was allowed..._

" _Thank you for coming," she choked as they stepped out of the hospital._

"How was your day?" Blaise stepped through the Floo as he slipped off his tie and unbuttoned his suit. He and Theodore Nott co-owned a business, and his day was spent negotiating with investors, treating them to the best foods, and reading through massive scrolls. Exhaustion was written all over his face.

Hermione, having come back from her visit to her parents in Australia, was sitting at the dining table, rereading 'To Erase or Not to Erase: a book for those who aren't sure whether they should or should not Obliviate muggles' for the thousandth time, hoping to find something she missed. Unlikely, though. Ask her anything, and she would be able to recite the passage word for word. "It was fine," she peered up from her book. "Didn't do much," she fibbed. Seven months and eight days, and she found herself withholding the truth already. In fact, nothing was fine.

While Blaise knew of her parents' condition, he wasn't aware Valentine's Day was their anniversary. She didn't have the heart to tell him. A few weeks back, he'd mentioned taking her out to a nice restaurant to celebrate the Hallmark holiday. He seemed so excited. She couldn't damper his spirit.

"Let me freshen up." He went over to the witch, kissing the top of her head before disappearing into his room.

 _A cup of hot tea always managed to cheer her up, regardless of her day. Draco knew best. She held the piping hot brew, gently blowing away the steam. The refreshing smell of the leaves calmed her nerves and the warm liquid pooling in her belly slowed the beat of her pained heart. She whispered a thank you to Draco when he refilled her cup._

 _Since Hermione and Draco started dating, they never celebrated Valentine's. The majority of their day was filled with preparing a picnic for her parents, then spending time with them in Australia. Hermione wanted them transferred to St. Mungo's in London, but the doctors mentioned changing environment would stress out their already fragile minds. Plus, they were in no condition to travel, by plane or by any other methods._

 _She sat next to the bay window, staring out into the garden as she continued to nurse her tea, cooling it before taking a sip. Draco seated himself across from her, concerned for the witch he loved so dearly. His hand rested on her knees as she leaned against the window pane._

" _We'll figure it out."_

"Shit-" he gasped as his back slammed against the wall, staring down at the witch who engulfed his swelling cock as if it was her last meal. Her tongue danced around his shaft, tracing along the veins that rose against his, otherwise, smooth and leathery skin. She groaned as precum leaked out from the tip, adding salty lubricant to her already wet mouth. Her eyelids fluttered shut as she pushed his cock further into her mouth, further, further until his head touched the back of her throat. _Fuck..._

He ran his slender fingers through her silky brown hair, combing them back so he would get a clearer view of her swallowing his dick. _Fuck,_ she was so hot, eating him up like there was no tomorrow. When she pulled it out, gasping for air, saliva formed a thin line as it dropped down to her chin. She bit her lower lip, staring up at him as she tenderly kissed the tip, sending shudders down his spine. Her hands worked on the base of his cock, pumping him as she nearly inhaled his prick. _Fuck..._

His thighs tensed and shook as she continued working her magic. The witch was so fucking talented as she kept on with her ministrations. Her lips tightly hugged his cock. Her tongue rubbed against his sensitive head. Her hands pushed and pulled on his skin, working on his ever hardening erection.

The hands tangled in her hair, grasped tightly for a moment, and yanked her back. Surprised, she released his prick with an almost cartoon-like pop, confusion stamped all over her deliciously flushed face.

"I'm not ready to come yet," he growled as he picked her up, throwing her onto the bed behind them. He stripped his button-down, letting it pool on the ground around him, and undid his pants. The damned witch didn't even bother pulling his slacks down before she decided to fuck him with her mouth. Blaise stepped out of his trousers, dropping his boxer briefs, and made his way over towards the witch.

Much to his surprise, Hermione was already undressed -not that she had much to take off to begin with, but she also rested on all fours, her head turned to look back at him as she waved her glorious arse in his face. He growled again at the seductive sight as he grabbed her thighs, pulling her legs down onto the ground. With no warning, he shoved his cock deep into her pussy.

"Aah!" Hermione shouted, falling forward as he filled her, stretching her walls. _Fuck_. "Please-" She rocked against his hips, pushing her arse into his pelvic muscles, savoring the heat of his cock as she fucked him. "Oh, Blaise..." She moaned, hanging her head as her bum jiggled against him.

 _Fuck._ Being surrounded in her warm, wet cunt was just about the best feeling in the world for Blaise. He grabbed her hips, fingers sinking into her pale flesh as he took over. Merlin, he could stay like this with her forever. No -he _wanted_ to stay like this forever. If there was an option, he would never want to be further away from her than skin on skin contact. _Fuck,_ she felt so good, he could barely think.

She whimpered, turning around with creased brows. He stared down realizing he'd been lost in thought, reveling in her tight pussy. Blaise smirked, cocking a brow as he jerked his hips against her, and she groaned in approval.

He moved slowly in and out of her, savoring every caress of her wall. _Fuck_ , Hermione was always extraordinarily sexy when she was being slammed from the back. Blaise released a hand from their controlled grip on her hips and gently stroked her beautiful behind. _Smack!_ She gasped and her pussy tightened from the unexpected spank. "You like that?" He growled, quickening the pace as his hand pelted against her reddening cheeks.

"Mmm..." She answered with an animalistic groan, her eyes fluttering shut as she welcomed the pain. She needed this pain.

He ground himself against her and the same hand reached around to play with her clit. She tensed at the sensation, her elbows crumbling and she fell face forward into the mattress as her arse was pushed further out against his thrusts. _Smack!_

"Oh, yes!" Hermione yelped as his hand licked her cheek once more; the sting increasing tenfold. But this is what she needed tonight. To feel the pain. To feel the ache that pooled in her chest. To scream it all out. She needed it tonight. "Harder! Faster!" This pain to forget everything. Even if just for a moment.

Even if just for a moment...

The bed slammed against the wall as Blaise followed her orders. His brows were furrowed as he concentrated with all his might to fuck his witch with as much as he had. His teeth clenched as he continued to quicken the pace, nearly shoving her entire body forward before being yanked back, plunging his cock into her pussy. _Smack!_ She mewled, her walls clenching tightly around his dick as a hand reached for her clit, rubbing vigorously, the desperate need of coming nearing its climax.

"Shit-" He groaned, thrusting in and out, a steadfast grip latched onto her hips. Bruises would be a welcomed sight for tomorrow.

"Yes! Blaise!" she shouted, her voice trembling as her walls throbbed in a frenzy; her body seizing and tensing as she came with full force.

 _Smack!_ Down came his hands once more. Blaise groaned, "fuck," as he managed to grind into her a few more times before he couldn't hold back any longer, spilling himself inside her. He fell forward, planting kisses between her shoulder blades as he caressed her backside. "You.. are an amazing fuck, Hermione Granger." He chuckled, tucking her hair behind her ears, giving her another kiss on the cheek.

 _The wind howled outside as tree whirled back and forth in a frenzy. Snow pummeled against the window pane. But it was all ignored as she held a small black box in her hand as she sat on the couch, basking in the warmth of the fireplace. "What is this?" It rested on the palm of her hand._

" _Open it." He commanded, leaning against the heavy oak office desk, a foot propped up against the front. A warm cup of tea cradled in his hand as he watched her continue to turn the box around. An eye twitched as she chose to fumble around with it instead. "It's a box! What person just turns it around, staring at it?"_

 _She shot him a glare and then deliberately spun the box in her hands, while never leaving eye contact._

" _Woman-" Draco started, taking large strides towards her. "Open." He snatched it out of her hands. "The." He slammed the tea onto the coffee table. "Damned." And then he got onto one knee, in front of Hermione. "Box." He flipped open the container._

 _Her eyes widened, staring at Draco then back towards the box -which held a stunning red diamond ring. "Draco-" Hermione sat up straight on the couch, both feet planted on the ground, trembling hands covering her mouth._

" _I know today is your parent's anniversary, and...it's a heavy time for you." He cut her off, explaining himself quickly as a hint of pink rose onto his, otherwise, pale complexion. "But you deserve the world. You deserve happiness in this time of sorrow. You deserve to step out these doors -not right now- and hold your head up high and be_ _ **proud**_ _of yourself. I know we can't rewrite history, but the memories we make today, tomorrow, in the future -it'll be recorded in the stars." He swallowed hard as Hermione remained quiet. She was hardly ever quiet. "And -and I want to be the man to give you all of that. I want to give you the world, the happiness, and the glory -for the rest of your life._

" _Hermione Jean Granger...will you do me the honor of being my wife?" His chest pounded as he swallowed his heart once more. His slate grey eyes stared lovingly into her watery brown ones. His mouth was dry after the speech. Some tea would be nice right now. Merlin, the seconds must have drawn out to aeons before Hermione finally responded._

 _But it was the answer he had hoped to hear, and it was worth the wait._

" _Yes. Yes, Draco. I'll be your wife." She nodded, tears pouring out of her beautiful eyes, as she threw her arms around him, knocking the both of them back onto the carpeted floor._

 _His queen._

* * *

"Happy birthday!" Light from the Zabini manor flipped on as they stepped through the front door, and dozens of his friends popped out from their hiding places, holding glasses of champagne and setting off party poppers. Blaise quickly straightened his posture, his eyes wide, startled as he was just about to start a snogging session with Hermione.

"Get a room!" A voice piped up from the crowd.

"Oy, this is my house!" Though he snapped, a wide grin sat on his face as he looked at each and every person present. He turned to Hermione, "did you plan this?"

The witch shrugged, arching a brow, and lead him to mingle with his friends. "It's your birthday! Don't worry about who did or didn't plan this _amazing_ birthday surprise." Hermione blew her boyfriend a kiss as Theodore Nott wrapped his arm around the birthday man's neck and brought him down for a noogie. _Boys._

The house, so graciously provided by Vernonia, was decorated in his favorite colors: green and silver. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" balloons bounced up and down, floating between the first and second floor. Gifts for the man -wasn't he too old for birthday presents?- were piled on the grand stairway, waiting for be opened. The floor was littered with confetti and streamers, while buffet tables and a bar occupied the corner walls.

Most of the attendees were former Slytherins, people whom Hermione didn't interact with often, though there were a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs scattered about, mainly interacting with each other. Hermione had invited a few of her Gryffindor friends, the ones that had met Blaise during their nine months and fifteen days of dating, but they weren't anywhere to be seen. Oh, well, it would be her and the usual possè of Slytherins, then. She'd manage.

She went to pour herself a glass of champagne as she watched her boyfriend socialize with his friends. He was really in his element around them. The way he acted was completely different than how he behaved around her, though he was still a proper gentleman regardless. From the corner of her eyes, Hermione caught a glimpse of a familiar white-blonde hair, poking his head into the room before it quickly disappeared into the kitchen. Did he actually show up? Was he actually here? Her heart pounded at the thought. She did send an invitation out, but he never responded. "Oh!" Hermione gasped, the flute overflowing with champagne.

" _Where are you taking me?" He grabbed onto her hands as she covered his eyes as she pushed him with her much smaller body, trying to lead him in the right direction, though he chose to walk in circles to mess with her._

" _Draco!" she squealed as she tried to keep her hands over his eyes. "You're going to ruin the surprise!"_

 _His fingers found the diamond that sat on her ring finger and gently traced over it as he conceded and allowed her to lead the way._

 _The sun beat down on the pair as they made way towards the destination. The texture of the ground changing from cobblestones to a soft, crunchy quality. The wind whistled as their environment changed, but Draco was, temporarily, blind to the world. But his ears twitched in response as he heard whispered chatter not too far away. "People are typically quiet for surprise birthdays," he stated as a matter-of-factly as the conversations grew louder._

" _Surprise!" Hermione exclaimed, dropping her hands._

 _Draco blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight. The first things he noticed were the abnormally green grass under his feet and the bright blue sky overhead. Next, were five of his friends standing before him, though their attention wasn't on the birthday boy. It was on the next group of people, seven to be exact, standing to their left, donned in a fancy orange capes, each of them carrying their own broom._

" _Shi-" He started, eyes widening as he realized standing before him were the Chudley Cannons Quidditch players, among them was Hermione's closest friend, Ginny. "Sweet baby dragons!"_

Hermione followed a certain blonde into the kitchen, wanting to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. She just wanted to confirm he was here. That was it. They... didn't need to exchange words. He didn't even have to see her...But then again, why did it matter? Her heart drummed against her chest as she neared the room, walking slowly to prevent her heels from making extra noises. Just a peek and she'd go back to Blaise. Just a peek, to see if he really did attend.

She cracked open the swinging door, looking through.

"I thought you said you didn't want to come," a female voice sounded causing Hermione to freeze in her wake.

"I didn't," his recognizable voice responded in a drawl.

"Then why are we here?"

Before he was able to respond, others entered the kitchen from the other door. _Oh, shit_. Hermione looked around to make sure no one was behind her. She was so lost in the moment, she'd forgotten there was a party going on outside.

"Well, well, it's good seeing you, mate." Blaise grinned, extending a hand out to Draco. "It's been quite some time. Finally able to make it out, eh?"

The blonde accepted his handshake, though he wasn't enthused. "Be glad to know you're not at the bottom of my list, Zabini." He took a sip of his usual scotch drink. He looked around as an arm snaked around the woman who'd spoken up earlier.

Her heart nearly exploded as his actions -why, though? She furrowed her brows, unable to tear her eyes away from his hand and how it rested on _her_ hips. Astoria Greengrass, a Slytherin, two years younger than Hermione. Oh, but she was beautiful. Her brown locks glistened as it bounced with every turn of her head. Her face free of blemishes -and those cheekbones, Merlin, Hermione wish she had those cheekbones. And she was so skinny. Jealousy bubbled in the pit of her stomach as her chest continued to ache. She glanced back up towards Draco, their eyes meeting each others.

And for just a moment, time stood still.

" _Bloody amazing," he gaped, shaking the hands of each player, even Ginny's. "I s'pose you helped pull some of the strings, Weasley?" The redheaded bunch were never his favorite people. Actually, they were at the bottom when it came to the list of people he actually liked, but in this moment, he couldn't help but give the woman a great big hug. Her eyes widened at his abnormal behavior. "Merlin..."_

 _Draco turned towards Hermione, who stood in the back, now holding onto a broomstick with a giant green bow on top. "Happy birthday," she smirked, something she picked up from her fiancè. And she wore the look well. He accepted the gift, but set it down and embraced the witch, kissed her with such intensity that most of his friends groaned at the sight._

" _Fucking amazing, woman." He grinned, resting his forehead on hers. "Thank you."_

" _Off you go now," she laughed._

 _And like a child finally allowed in the big kids' playground, Draco took off with his new broom and his friends. The group, which included Gregory Goyle, huddled together, planning out their strategy for their upcoming skirmish. Occasionally, one of them would pop their head up and stole a glance over towards the professional Quidditch players, who stood there talking idly amongst each other._

 _A deep voice resonated behind her. "Quite a birthday you've set up."_

 _Hermione turned around, her hazel eyes meeting his dark chocolate ones. "Zabini-" she started and smiled. "How nice of you to finally show up."_

" _Wouldn't miss playing against the Chudley Cannons." He folded his arms across his chest. His eyes lingered on her a moment longer before turning his attention towards the professional team. "What a fianceè you are, if only I had a Granger of my own." Zabini flashed her a grin, patting her shoulders, before he sauntered over to his friends. "Happy birthday, mate."_

From behind, he wrapped his arms around her slender waist, picking her up and twirled her around in a circle. "Did I ever tell you you're the best girlfriend, ever?"

The party long since ended, and Hermione had begun the tedious process of cleaning up. Pieces of shattered champagne glasses scattered all over the tiles. It ended up being a game to the rowdy Slytherins, shouting _Opa!_ each time someone broke a glass. They held no respect for other people's possessions. She promised Vernonia the house would be spotless before she returned, and Blaise's friends did a wonderful job of making her promise hard to keep.

Despite her foul mood, she managed to reciprocate a smile. "No, you haven't, but I wouldn't mind hearing it a few more times."

A smirk danced across his lips as his kisses lingered on her lips a little longer than they needed to. Oh-she knew his tell all too well. "How about we clean later and make a bigger mess upstairs?"

" _Aargh! Yes!" He threw a fist into the air, cheering as his team made a goal against the Chudley Cannons. Sweat rolled along the tresses of his wispy blonde hair as it clung onto the side of his face. The summer heat bearing down on the Quidditch players without end, but it didn't matter to Draco at all as he was having the time of his life. On a new broom. With his friends. With the Chudley Cannons. And with his Queen, cheering him on from the sidelines._

 _Draco wiped at his brows, his eyes scanning the pitch, searching for the golden snitch. It buzzed tauntingly by his ears earlier but by the time he turned around to snatch it, the bugger had already zipped off somewhere else. He was definitely rusty, but Galvin Gudgeon,_ professional _seeker, was also having trouble finding the snitch._

 _At least they weren't too far off -what, they were just four goals behind? Totally doable. He grinned the widest grin he'd ever produced as he flew around the arena. A distant shout caught his attention as he glanced down, seeing a jumping Hermione pointing to the left._

 _His eyes followed her path and under the bright sunlight, he could see a faint glimmer of the winged sphere. It buzzed right behind Gudgeon's head. How did he not feel the rapid flutter of its wings behind him? No matter -it was his._

 _Draco leaned forward, his hands grasping the wooden handle of his broomstick, until he was nearly parallel to it. And with just a slight pressure at the front, the broom drove forward. That's all there was to riding a broomstick. Some control, a sense of balance, and it was all good._

 _Off he went, into the sky, coming behind Gudgeon. The enemy seeker, who had been looking down at the pitch watching the other players battle for the Quaffle, finally turned towards Draco as he came at him with full speed. His eyes were wide, nearly popping out of their sockets as the blonde stretched out a hand, reaching behind his head._

 _The snitch buzzed around, flying up and down, left to right, but never quite moving from its spot. As if it had some sort of magical hold on Gudgeon. But, the game ended all too soon when a toothy grin spread across the seeker's face, and with ninja-like speed, he snagged the snitch, ending the game._

Clothes were strewed all over the bedroom floor. The only thing Hermione wore was the pendant Blaise had gifted her during Christmas. It was beautiful on her, and she looked even more radiant in the afterglow of their love making, lying there as her rapid breathing returned to its normal state. His arms, heavy, were draped across hers while his face was covered by the ringlets of her hair, asleep. It'd return to their normal state of loose curls every evening, though Hermione tried so hard to keep it straight. He liked it better that way. So, for him, she'd do it.

She stared blankly at the ceiling, watching the fan spin round and round in circles, as she listened to his steady breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. It was almost zen, but Hermione's heart was everything but.

Sleep evaded her. Everytime she blinked, she'd see a flash of him: his blonde hair. His piercing grey eyes. His wicked, but equally handsome, smirk. He wouldn't leave her mind, and she didn't understand why.

" _You_ purposely _pretended not to see it?" Draco gaped at Gudgeon as they landed back onto the ground. He grabbed his head by the hairful and let out a frustrated groan. Everyone laughed, patting the birthday man on the back, reassuring him he did well -as an amateur._

 _By the end of it, the Chudley Cannons won all six games; each of them ending in less than fifteen minutes. Of course, they went easy on the blokes -they were professionals after all. While Draco and his friends were drenched in sweat from their workout, the Chudley Cannons didn't even break a sweat. Ginny had the widest smirk of the seven Quidditch players -kicking Draco's ass couldn't have been more fun. And though they lost, and Draco was being a sore loser, he couldn't stop grinning. To play with his friends and the Cannons. To just soar in the sky playing his favorite sport -never had Hermione seen Draco so...carefree._

 _He was always so prim and proper, especially when they were out together. He constantly had to look the part of a socialite, turning his nose up to anyone who didn't deserve his attention. Or even throw out quips even when it wasn't necessary. But to see him here -it was like he was at home, comfortable and at ease. And just...Draco._

 _She was to be wedded to this man, and she couldn't have asked for a husband._

 _Draco turned towards Hermione, smiling._

"Love you, Hermione."

* * *

"Step right in here, everyone." A tour guide gestured towards a door which led into a dark room. People murmured as they all filed in. Hermione clutched tightly to Blaise's hand as they entered. Ever since the War, she hated the darkness. Never knowing what lurked behind the shadows. Never knowing what might just grab her ankles and pull her into the endless abyss. She hated it, and even if it was for just a few seconds, it scared her. But looking at Hermione, no one would know. She wore her face a little too much, and her jaws clenched, but she looked forward into the empty pit. No, no one would ever know, except for him...

The dim lights blinked on, outlining the circumference of the room. It was a light pulsing blue and it illuminated onto the wall, almost like the calm currents in the ocean. The walls were curtained by projectors, now showing calm images of the ocean with virtual fish swimming around. Every now and the, one would tap at the window and a warped rap would echo the room. Her heart lifted, seeing the tranquil backdrop.

"Keep your feet tucked within the boundaries of the light at all times. If you don't, you _will_ fall out. The sea may be beautiful, but it is also treacherous. You may touch, but at your own risk." The tour guide started his presentation when everyone was situated. "Today, you will be diving deep into the ocean, into the ravine -seeing life under water as it's never been seen before." And on cue, the overhead lifted and revealed the true blue of the sea.

 _Fireworks exploded in the night sky as Draco and Hermione sat on a hilltop. Today was spent cuddling at home, making sweet love, and eating dinner he made -much to her surprise, and it didn't even taste half bad! When the sun disappeared beyond the hill, the pair left their cozy apartment and Apparated to their final destination for the evening._

 _They walked, hand-in-hand, towards the high ground as fireworks erupted. Hermione smiled, watching the explosives erupt into beautiful neon-like floral spark and shimmer back on the earth. One of them even transformed into a giant red dragon, charging toward the crowd, harmless, as they scattered away. Draco chuckled at the sight, and Hermione rolled her eyes. Of course he would. It was so much like him, ready to charge in head first, ready for the attack, but in the end, he was just soft as a puppy, just wanting love._

 _She kissed his cheek. "Happy anniversary, Draco."_

They descended deep into the South Atlantic ocean. The refraction of the sunlight, slowly disappeared, and their room was kept lit by only the pulsing lights sitting around the room. The group, which consisted of Blaise, Hermione, Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyle, Draco, and a few others, stood in the center of a spherical room.

Before their dived into the sea, the room balanced delicately at the surface, rocking ever so gently as the clients entered. For their one year, Blaise decided they were to visit the most exclusive aquarium in the world, with their friends, while Hermione wanted to spend time alone. She didn't understand why the other needed to be involved -much less _him_. He was the last person she wanted to see... His presence made her heart pound, and she didn't understand why. Seeing his face kept her up at night... It strayed her focus from Blaise, and it bothered Hermione to no end.

When the brunette witch asked why -why the others needed to be there, Blaise simply kissed her saying it was because of 'politics'. Politics she would never understand. The way of the life for the Purebloods -to show off everything they had, to show off all their riches and accomplishments. In this case, Blaise wanted to show off Hermione and their magnificent one year feat. A quiet night was all she wanted -to spend and enjoy time with Blaise, a night free of thoughts of the dastardly Slytherin prince.

" _Conquer your fears," he whispered gently into her ear as they reached out to touch a dragon. Yes -a real life dragon. As she stood before the magnificent beast, Hermione couldn't comprehend just why she'd suggested going to Romania to visit dragons for their anniversary. His hands rested over her trembling ones as she almost yanked back her hand and pressed forward._

 _The creature snorted as it felt the gentle caress of Hermione's. It turned its gigantic head, bringing forth a gust of wind, and stared at her with one eye. "Oh..." she whispered, a timid smile appearing. Courage bloomed in the center of her chest as her quivering fingers stabled and she pushed her palm against a scale, smooth to the touch. The dragon exhaled at her touch, huge puffs of smoke exiting its nostrils._

" _She likes it." Draco grinned as he moved his hands away from Hermione's and onto the dragon. Her scarlet scales shimmered against the light of the fireworks -a Chinese Fireball, otherwise known as the lion dragon. A perfect beast for the two. "Are you ready?"_

Hermione's favorite layer of the ocean must have been Mesopelagic zone, though they only spent roughly thirty minutes in the area before descending further down. It was, otherwise, known as the twilight zone, where the sun's ray barely penetrated through at two hundred metres. It looked like the night sky, fish of bioluminescent properties twinkled and disappeared, only to be found somewhere else. Occasionally, a small squid would drift by, tentacles tentatively hitting the barrier of the sphere and dark away, scared of the foreign object.

"Oh, look who we have here!" The tour guide piped up while everyone was enthralled with the glowing fish. They turned their attention towards him. "We're being followed," his voice quiet now, causing a cease in other's conversation. "If you take a look behind you -don't be scared now-" he noticed Pansy's suddenly rigid frame. "You'll meet Molly, our resident colossal squid, coming to say hi."

Hermione turned, her eyes widening at the, well, eyeball staring, unblinking, back at the group. "Colossal squids, in the muggle world, are known to be mythical creatures, though they've claimed to find several dead ones washed ashore several years back. No muggles have seen this behemoth up close before. It's even a rare sight amongst wizards and witches, as well." The sphere shook as the squid took hold of the container, curious at the alien. It's white skin flashed red as it continued to inspect the group. Pansy shrieked as its beak collided against the spherical room; the banging vibrated the room and Goyle fell onto his arse at the intensity. The female Slytherin snaked her arms around Draco's for protection, but he returned her plea with a scowl and attempted to pull away to the clinging woman. Despite his protest, a pang in her heart reverberated deep in her chest, no longer focusing on the mystical colossal squid.

" _I don't know how good of an idea this is anymore!" Hermione whined towards Draco as she was escorted by Charlie Weasley, a long time friend and dragon tamer. At the top of the Chinese Fireball sat a houdah, big enough for two, and the other space was already occupied by her fiancè. "Maybe I can just watch you?"_

" _I never knew a cowardly lion to be Gryffindor's mascot," he quipped at her hesitancy._

 _Both of the Gryffindor alumni shot a glare towards the blonde wizard, and Hermione puffed her cheeks, taking large strides up the scarlet dragon's back. When he held his hand out for further support, she smacked it away. "This Gryffindor will show you who's a coward," she snapped, seating herself in between his legs, snug and safe._

" _Feisty."_

"Remember to keep all feet behind the blue light when you're touching the fish." The tour guide reminded the lot as a few curious patrons leaned forward. Blaise was among one of them.

He pushed the palm of his hand against the film of the sphere, and it warped to his touch, becoming wobbly and stretching before it finally gave against the pressure and his hand popped out into the cold deep sea as a water nymph swam by. She stopped in her track, tilting her head from side to side while looking at the man then down towards the hand, and she touched it tentatively. Her webbed hand pressed against his, awed at the odd similarity of their appendages. But the moment was all too short before she dashed off towards the others who also reached their hands out.

Hermione stood in the center of the room, watching the mermaids swim about, giggling to each other while conversing in their language -it sounded like garble to her. Much unlike the merpeople residing in Hogwart's lake, these sea creatures were majestic and beautiful. While their skins were almost as white as Draco's hair, they glowed, almost like they were ghosts. Their hair were deep blue colors, nearly fading into the backdrop of the ocean, unnoticed until they stopped moving, and their locks would drift down to their side. They reminded her of _The Little Mermaid_ she used to watch when she was still a child. Hermione wondered if they sang as well? Hopefully, nothing ear piercing like the Merpeople.

They were the most enchanting creature they've encountered thus far. Everyone was in awe at the beautiful mermaids; even Draco couldn't resist a touch or two from the deep sea nymphs. Goyle was as red as a tomato as his eyes watched their naked form meander around the circular room. One of the mermaids took notice of Hermione -she was the only one who didn't have a hand out -and beckoned her. She shook her head. Not going to do it. Not because she was scared, but there was just something _off_ about these creatures.

Most of the beasts they'd come by usually scattered from the sphere or due to unwarranted attention (save for the terrifying colossal squid who tried to eat them). But these mermaids toyed around with the witches and wizards, growing bolder and bolder.

"Cowardly lion afraid of a little water?" Draco sneered, turning his attention towards her at the dryads continued to poke at the film.

" _Aahhhh!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as the dragon took flight into the cloudless sky. Fireworks continued to boom, but this time it was next to them. She shut her eyes as a pyrotechnic set off in front of them, but the dragon, accustomed to them, simply veered off in a different direction. It roared, almost as if it was telling Hermione to calm down._

" _Don't close your eyes -you're missing out on all the fun!" Draco tenderly jabbed the side of her ribs. Even though the two of them were strapped into the seat, Hermione was still adamant on him holding onto her. Better safe than sorry, she thought, trembling in fear as the dragon assumed position to take off._

 _She opened one eye -as a compromise- and made an attempt to slow the beating of her heart. Why did she pick this as their anniversary event? To overcome her fears of heights? To finally fly? To actually interact with a dragon? Ugh. This was too much. But then again... when the Chinese Fireball ascended higher and higher, the air around them became so much more peaceful. The ear deafening explosions were merely distant pops, and the cities became small clusters of lights, flickering on and off in sporadic patterns._

" _See? Once you stop screaming and actually use your senses, being in the air isn't bad at all." Draco yawned, popping his ears._

" _I...You're right. It's actually very peaceful."_

 _The lion dragon came to a stop, flapped its gigantic wings and took a breather. Puffs of smoke leaked through its nostrils as it decided what she wanted to do, but something must have called out to her. Peace didn't last long. Her wings suddenly folded and her nose was pointed towards the earth, moving at an incredible speed even Draco wasn't comfortable with._

 _Down, down, further they went. The fireworks returned, zipping past their faces before going off a few seconds later and their travel speed continued at a constant pace. Hermione started screaming again -long before reaching the ground while even Draco clutched at her sides for dear life. The oddest sound came from his lips, and it sounded something mixed between an extended squeal of a mouse and howl of an adolescent wolf, but if anyone ever asked, Draco was as brave as any man during that time, protecting his fianceè with all his might._

It'd been two months and seventeen days since she last looked at him. Seventy-seven days. Over one hundred ten thousand minutes passed. But the count dropped back down to zero when their eyes locked once more.

She mostly glared at him while he wore his infamous Malfoy smirk. She used to think it was so cute, so charming, so... _him_ , but not now. She hated being called a coward; it was her second least favorite word. And he knew it all too well.

"I'm not a coward," Hermione snapped, sending a scowl his way along with her piercing gaze. Merlin, he knew how to boil her blood.

"Scared little lion -afraid of some harmless water?" he goaded, his words dripping in a snide tone.

Blaised turned to the two as they continued their bickering, almost falling back into the pace they were once so familiar with. A faint frown matched the knots appearing between the space between his brow. Draco, back in his element, making fun of Hermione -as if no time passed. He still enjoyed it. Talking to her. Even after four years, eight months, and twelve days -the day their lives decided to separate down their own paths.

He was about to make a comment, breaking up whatever squabble was happening, but his girlfriend of one year cut him off, shouting out the aristocrat's name -all too familiar with it. "Draco -watch out!"

Everyone's attention snapped onto the blonde. Confused, he managed to croak out a 'what?' before he felt a powerful jerk on his hand, and suddenly his entire arm was pulled out of the sphere. Draco turned, bewildered at the current event, to see several pale hands grasped around his appendage.

The water nymphs were trying to take Draco. Their previously alluring demeanor replaced with a demonous one. Their eyes, once a true blue hue, were sunken in: hollow, dark, hungry. They all smiled, but Hermione really wished they didn't. They were so much more terrifying; a true representation of a deep sea creature. Their teeth were sharp and pointy, making it easy to sink into any flesh and rip apart with no effort. The nails attached their boney fingers were no better as they punctured his delicate skin, the smell of the blood making them even more ravenous.

Hermione was the first to make it to him, while the others stood there, dumbfounded, unsure how to proceed as their friend was ambushed. She grabbed his other arm and yanked him back with whatever strength she could muster, but they outnumbered her.

" _Blimey! That was amazing." Draco gasped as the Chinese Fireball landed safely onto the ground. He hugged his Hermione tightly around the waist, placing a firm kiss on her cheek, and nearly roared in laughter, seeing her hair. "Oh! Pft, haha, Merlin, who are you...Mmmahaha... and what did you do- hahaha- to.. to my fianceè?" It was wild and, frankly, wind-swept but oh, in just about the worst way possible. The ringlets of her hair stood on its end, almost as if she was zapped with an electrical current. An epitome of the Monster's wife._

 _She turned around, confused at his comment, and he earned a good faceful of her frizzy mane. "What?" A pause. "Oh! Merlin, Draco, your hair!" She cracked a smile, pointing at the usual well groomed hair. Much like Hermione's, it was permanently blown back, sticking out like pointed skewers, ready to stab someone's eye out._

 _His laughter immediately ceased as he realized he, too, was a victim of a bad hair day. Draco's hand touched his head, mimicking Hermione's movement and immediately the two bellowed over in laughter, clutching their stomachs as it cramped from their guffaw._

His friends came to the rescue, their hands grabbing onto his arm, and Pansy even latched onto his torso, holding him back. But the mermaids held on, strong in their element.

Physical force wasn't working. Even with the strongest men at Draco's side, they were still losing him centimeter by centimeter. It wasn't long before his feet were going to give out, and they'd lose him to the dryads. It would be the worst anniversary party, ever.

Hermione released her grip on him, causing the others to yell at her in response. But she ignored him. No -she knew what to do. It was just a matter of how quickly she could grab her wand; her hands trembled and fingers ached from clenching onto Draco so desperately. There, in her hand, the wand. She summoned her lioness, her courage, and pointed the wand straight at the piled up group.

"Shut your eyes!" She commanded, not giving them much time to react, but they obeyed. There was no time to argue. " _Lumos maxima_!" A blazing white light expelled from the tip of her wand.

Ear piercing shrieks echoed and oscillated throughout the room. The mermaids released their hold on Draco, covering their eyes as they were blinded, albeit temporarily, by the shining brilliance produced by Hermione's wand. Without the pull on the end of Draco's right arm, the strength of the Slytherin's pull finally yanked him back into the bubble, and everyone fell backwards onto their backside in the process.

"How did you-" Blaise panted, finally looking up at Hermione, amazed at her quick thinking.

" _Nox_ ," she sighed while tucking her wand back into its holster. "Look around us. We're thousands of metres under water, where light doesn't shine through. They were pale, white, never having seen sunlight. Their eyes were barely blue, almost blind. I think they were mostly reacting to the smell we produced and our movement. It just... made sense. All the creatures here ran away from us when we came into view but them." Hermione's heart slowed, just happy it worked out in her favor. Without Draco -well, she didn't want to think about it. "That's why I didn't want to stick my hand out."

"Are you sure the Sorting Hat didn't mess up and place you in Gryffindor by mistake?" Pansy laid on her back, staring at the dark overhead. "You should have been in Ravenclaw."

"Certainly the smartest witch of our generation." Goyle nodded, paying her a compliment -the first he'd ever done.

"Oy! Tour guide!" Blaise started, realizing the man never came to their help when his best mate was seconds away from being merchow. But the guide didn't respond -instead, there were earbuds plugged into his ears as he quietly hummed along to the music. Pissed, her boyfriend stomped his way over towards the attendant, shoving him in the shoulders and yanking out his headphones. The others followed suit, yelling at the, suddenly, confused escort.

Draco glanced over at his friends as they argued with the tour guide, then nursed his arm, dabbing away the flowing blood with the sleeve of his other arm. Hermione sighed, making her way towards him, a gentle hand covering his.

"Let me," She whispered, pulling out her wand once more, pointing at the gashes in his arm, " _Tergeo_." Slowly, the cleaning spell siphoned the red liquid from his wound. " _Ferula_." Bandages sputtered out from her wand, wrapping itself snugging around his lesion.

His grey eyes darted back towards the angry crowd, then to Hermione. His uninjured hand gently grasped the tip of her chin, tilting her head up to meet his. Her heart throbbed. How long had it been since they last touched? His caress tender, just she remembered it to be. "Thank you... Hermione," he muttered, the back of his knuckle brushing against her flushed cheeks. And without skipping a beat, he stood up, a snarl set on his face and he made his way over to towards the mob, joining them in their gang up.

* * *

A dark forest green invitation appeared on her dining room table one morning, the back of it stamped with the Malfoy sigil in silver wax. The return address was marked by Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. She broke the seal, opening the envelope and pulling out the card:

' _Dear Miss Hermione Granger,_

 _We are pleased to extend to you an invitation_

 _celebrating the tenth annual charity event on October thirtieth_

 _promptly starting at eight in the evening._

 _Please respond at by noon this Friday with your reservation._

 _Best regards,_

 _Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy'_

The last time she attended a charity event hosted by the Malfoy family, it ended her relationship between her and Draco, and would mark the beginning of a long and difficult journey for Hermione. But, then again, perhaps she should thank them for how she was treated; she wouldn't have met Blaise. They were happy together... weren't they?

They always traveled, seeing the world, exploring, having adventures of their own, and checking off her bucket list. Yes, she was happy. With Blaise. She couldn't have asked for a better boyfriend. Someone who cared about her. Someone whose family loved her and who welcomed her with open arms. It was everything she wanted. But... then why was there that familiar gnawing feeling in her chest?

She set the invitation down, making a note to see if Blaise was going to attend...

"Welcome Miss Granger -Mister Zabini," the same small elf, Pipsy, greeted the couple as they entered through the giant double door of the Malfoy manor. The elf handed each of them a chip with an engraved number on it. Hers was 0126.

The mansion, during any given day, was magnificent- But in celebration of Halloween, a holiday treasured by witches and wizards all over the world, the estate was simply astounding. Fog coated the grounds as pumpkin lanterns floated throughout the front gardens, scaring unsuspecting attendees. Ghosts wandered around, groaning and moaning, walking through the party goers, doing their own ghosty things. Black rain clouds boomed directly over the house, lightning crackling, but rain never spilled. The ambiance of the property was certainly on point. Always count on the Malfoys to do things right if no one else would.

Hermione exhaled, trying to calm her heart down. It'd been four years, three months, and twenty five days since she last stepped foot into the mansion. Memories came flooding back, but she bit down on her tongue, holding back the tears that threatened to spill and ruin her beautiful makeup. No, she was going to be strong. She was going to have a damned good time. Dance her heart out. Laugh at jokes. And be merry, though it was All Hallow's Eve.

The Grand Hall was filled with chattering voices. Waiters walked around, carrying trays of _hors d'oeuvres_ , offering it to the guests. A line formed by the bar as people fetched their first drinks. Everyone was prim and proper, dressed in glistening evening gown and tuxedos and suits, waiting for the main event to start. A live band played on stage, _Night on the Bald Mountain_ , composed by Mussorgsky, a famous nineteenth century wizard.

Circumferencing the ballroom were long tables with an assortment of items listed for the silent auction; the money going to St. Mungo's as supplemental research funds to help find cures for the still effected war victims. Blaise and Hermione took a moment to look at the assortment of available items, one particular product catching her eye: _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_. She gasped, seeing her favorite children's book. The edges were yellowed with age and the corner of the book curved ever so slightly, but it was, otherwise, in mint condition, encased in a glass container. Without even thinking twice, she wrote down her bid and her auction number for the evening. She would have to keep an eye out for that one.

"Aah, Miss Granger, Mister Zabini," a man's spoke up, his voice slow, deep, and oddly reassuring. Hermione recognized it immediately- after all, she spent a great deal of time with him during the War.

She spun around, the skirt of her scarlet gown floating gracefully in suit. "Minister Shacklebolt!" She exclaimed, smiling widely at the surprise. "How great it is to see you." The two of them shook hands, though, Hermione wanted very much to hug the man. "I heard you've been traveling for quite some time -how has your journey been?"

The two of them caught up on current events, having not seen each other in quite some time. But, being the Minister of Magic, Kingsley was only allowed so much time talking to Hermione before being bombarded by other aristocrats, hoping to cozy up to the man. For Purebloods, it was always about the who knows who.

As time passed, Hermione found herself on the dance floor with Blaise, her hand in his while the other rested on his shoulders and his on her waist. She was beautiful, dressed in her scarlet backless dress, floral patterns embossed into the outfit. The bustier dipped down into a gentle slope between the valley of her breasts. The hem of the gown trimmed in gold linings. Hermione still wore the lion pendant, who was now curled up in its slumber.

They moved in sync; their bodies fluid like water as they waltzed across the room. Left, left, right, left... Their eyes never leaving each other's, while they whispered sweet words to each other. His calm demeanor kept her feeling safe and comfortable even in the confines of the Malfoy Manor. While she tried her best not to wander her eyes, she would, occasionally, catch a dash of white blonde hair gliding past it but disappearing in the crowd of other dancers. Blaise leaned in, a kiss so gentle she melted at his touch. For a moment, she forgot about the fleeting blonde hair.

When the song ended, everyone stopped, applauding the band. And then there he was, that evanescent blonde looking quite out of place on stage.

His eyes were cold, glassy, devoid of emotion as he overlooked the crowd. Merlin, he looked so much like his father at that moment. Her heart pounded as she watched him, looking dapper as ever. Why was he up there? He was never one to shine unnecessary spotlight on himself, though he did claim he loved having attention on him -Hermione knew better. "Good evening, everyone," he started as silence fell over the audience. "We are, truly, grateful for your attendance at our annual charity event." Yes, she remembered speeches like these, typically done by Lucius, instead of the younger Malfoy. "If you haven't had the opportunity to, please take a moment and look at the items we have available for tonight's silent auction. A most gracious thank you to all who donated this year." Another round of applause rang through the ballroom as Draco paused.

Draco looked around, searching for something. For someone. "Today is a special day." He continued with his script, most likely written by his mother. A special day? It was just All Hollow's Eve. Her eyes glued onto him as her hand gripped at Blaise's. But, why would this holiday be different than all the others?

"Tonight, I would like to announce..." He found her. Hermione. Their eyes meeting once more for a brief, though profound, moment. She caught a glint of sadness, but just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. "...and celebrate my engagement with none other than the beautiful, Astoria Greengrass." The woman appeared next to him, a beautiful smile traced her lips as she curtsied at the proclamation, then kissed the blonde.

The room deafened with ovation, drowning out the cheers and congratulatory responses of the guests. But she didn't hear any of it. For Hermione -her heart stopped. For her, time stood still. _Engaged_? Since _when_? _Why_? _How_? Her eyes started to water, tears brimming at the edge of her eye lids. Oh _Merlin_ , she couldn't blink; if she did, she'd be the only person crying during this moment, and they weren't going to be tears of joy. No...It was supposed to be merry, right? Celebrating an engagement -it didn't happen every day. Oh...

"Please, continue to enjoy the evening, and we will be announcing charity winners in a few short hours." He smiled, though calculated. His eyes finding hers once again. And it only hurt more. Why...Why wouldn't he stop looking at her? _Stop it._

"I'm-" Hermione choked, and quickly cleared her throat and spoke up to Blaise. "I'm going to check on the silent auction to see-" she swallowed her heart back down. It thumped in protest. "-see if anyone's outbid me yet." She gave her boyfriend a wavering smile as she patted his arm and walked briskly towards the back of the room, squeezing between those who were still celebrating Draco's declaration. What a joke. What a joke. What a joke. _What a joke_. They didn't invite her to the event tonight because she was a celebrated war heroine. No -they invited her so she would witness the announcement of Draco's engagement and see the humiliated look on her face as she realized her role as Draco's lover was truly history. Fucking Merlin, they were probably laughing their arses off, having a good ol' jolly time after seeing her shocked expression. Fuck them.

She sniffed, wiping her nose with the back of her hand as she approached the empty table. Good, she didn't want anyone to see her fight back her tears. Hermione glanced down, another number had already outbid hers. 0605 - two hundred fifty galleons. She frowned, quickly scribbling down an obscene number so no one would want to top her bid and stormed out of the ballroom. They'd owl her the book if she wasn't present during the announcement.

 _Calm down, you stupid heart. You shouldn't be acting this way. It's been over for over four years. You love Blaise. You're with him. You're happy._

That's right. She was happy with Blaise. Hermione kept telling herself that as she Apparated home. If Blaise asked, she had a stomach ache. She stared at her own reflection, not recognizing the woman standing in front of her. Ugly with jealousy and heartbreak as the black smudge of her eyeliner streaked down her cheeks. Her lipstick was smeared, nose red and stuffed, and her eyes bloodshot and puffy. When did she start crying? "Fuck..." she whispered under her breath, wiping away at the ruined makeup. "Fuck it all."

Her gown was tossed carelessly on the ground as she changed into her pajamas. Hermione sat on her couch, staring at the dying pyro in the fireplace. Her knees drawn up. Her mind numb. Sniffles filled the quiet air.

The smartest witch of her generation... and she didn't understand why her heart ached every time her mind wandered onto Draco. And, oh, it did so frequently now. Just when did he start wandering back into her mind? So many questions unanswered, but they would forever remain unresolved, now that he'd be wedded to Astoria. _Fuck..._ she sobbed, burying her face in her hands. She squeezed her eyes shut but saw only his face when he stood on stage tonight. How he just... stared at her. Her damned mind kept replaying that moment. Over and over. She was such a fool, to believe bygones would be bygones. A fool to believe time could heal all wounds. Stupid witch.

If matters couldn't get any worse, the fireplace roared to life, and Hermione quickly wiped away her tears and snot, sniffling a few times to clear her sinus. Who would call her at such a late hour?

"Miss Granger," a woman popped her head through the burning coal. "I'm very sorry to bother you this evening. I, actually, didn't even expect you to be home."

She sniffed once more and waved off the apology. "Nuse Jenkins -quite a surprise to see you." Hermione stood, making her way towards the fire. "How can I help you this evening?" Her brows creased at the unexpected visit. In fact, Jenkins never visited this late -or at all. "Are my parents okay?" She spoke up once more, suddenly realizing the urgency of her drop in.

"Yes..." Jenkins hesitated. "Well -sorry." She corrected herself. "It's better if you come here." And then her face was gone. Without missing a beat, Hermione stepped into the Floo and found herself in Australia, in the facility which her parents resided in. A portly Nurse Jenkins waited for her arrival. Her cheeks red from the heat of the fire.

"What's the matter?"

There was a moment of silence as the older witch thought about her words, but these things were never easy to say. "Your mother -she, she passed a few hours back." Her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, so that Hermione had to listen closely. But she wish she hadn't. "She had a brain aneurysm... I'm really sorry."

"I-How?" She choked, barely getting her voice out as her throat tensed up. She hitched a breath, making an attempt to breathe but forgetting how. "No. No, I don't, I don't understand. She was in _good_ health." Her brown orbs searched the tiled floor, darting back and forth as she tried to comprehend what the nurse told her. This wasn't right. It was a joke. It _must_ be a joke. "Are you sure? Are you _sure_ it's my mother?" The rapid beating of her heart filled her ears as the nurse responded. Her eyes jumped back towards the older woman, watching her lips move, but Hermione heard nothing -just white noise.

She shook her head, swallowing, her mouth dry as the Sahara Desert. No. Not her mother. Not the woman who raised her. She couldn't be dead. "I want to see her."

Jenkins hesitated once more. "It's best not to-"

"- _Now._ " She shot the woman a teary eyed glare, shutting her up.

"Right this way."

Hermione had only visited a few months back. Her mother was in perfect condition, given her state of mind. How did this suddenly happen? What happened? No. Until she saw her body, she wouldn't believe she was dead. Her mind raced as she followed the woman. The sound of their hasted footsteps bounced off the bare walls. It was too quiet and too loud at the same time. Her breathing was quick and short as she forcibly wiped away the tears. As she followed, the hallways grew longer and longer, never ending, never allowing her to reach her final destination. Forever doomed to roam this purgatory.

Finally, they entered a small room filled with nothing but body trays and a single stretcher with a body lying there, covered with a thin white sheet. Her heart thundered against her ribcage, pain vibrated throughout her body, and her knees buckled, suddenly losing all strength. Some sort of warped garble came from the nurse, but Hermione paid no attention as she gingerly stepped forward. As much as she tried to remain brave, her body shook uncontrollably.

And, with trembling hands, Hermione pulled back the linen, revealing a yellow faced woman. Her features much too similar to her own. "Oh, Merlin..." She sobbed, covering her mouth as the truth was finally revealed.

She had always been her Superwoman growing up. Her Wonder Woman. Her voice of reason. Her mum could do anything and everything in between. She was there for every milestone. She was her cheerleader, motivating, encouraging, and inspiring her to be the best she could be. She was fearless. She was proud. She was her _world_. She was everything Hermione aspired to be and now... and now she was here -lifeless and cold.

She was supposed to be invincible.

Not being able to handle the sudden duress stirring in the pits of her stomach, Hermione fell forward, emptying out the contents of her dinner onto the previously spotless tiles. Tears torrented down her face as she coughed and gasped for air. The acid from her gut painfully burned her throat as it came up, but it was nothing compared to the agony she felt deep in her chest.

"I'm so sorry, Mummy," she whispered between sobs as she slowly climbed back up. Vomit covered fingers brushing against the woman's sunken cheek. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to figure out anything. _God,_ Mum, please, please wake up." Hermione begged, her bottom lip trembling, pressing a hand against her sternum, shaking her. "Please don't leave me. I need you. I need you in my life. I don't know what to do if you're not here next to me. Give me some more time -please, I can fix you. I can fix dad. Please! Please...come back..." Her voice cracked as she continued to shake the woman.

Gentle hands grasped her upper arm as Hermione crumbled, her legs, numb, giving out under her. "Shhh...shh..." Nurse Jenkins cradled the devastated daughter in her arms, running a comforting hand over her head as Hermione bawled her heart out. Silent tears rolled down the woman's face as she felt the grieving witch's pain.

...How much time has passed? Where was she? Hermione sat up, slowly opening her heavy eyelids. The soft sunlight was harsh on her sensitive orbs, blurring her vision as she tried to grasp her unfamiliar surrounding. Her head was in so much pain. It throbbed at every turn of her head, resembling much like a hangover after a night of drinking too much alcohol. Hermione rubbed her eyes with the ball of her hands, brushing away the sand that caked around the corner of her eyes. Her nose was stuffy and her lips were chapped. Everything hurt. Everything ached.

Rhythmic breathing sounded next to her as she turned her attention towards it. Blaise. He sat in an uncomfortable arm chair, much too small for a man his size as he contorted his entire body to fit on the seat. His head dipped in a nod every few seconds as he unconsciously tried to keep it up, but at the sound of her shuffle in a creaky bed, his eyes opened. "'Mione?" He groaned, turning his body, stretching his legs out. His bones creaked and popped.

"Blaise..." she whispered, unable to produce a voice any louder. "Blaise-" Her eyes widened as Hermione realized what might have been a dream, really wasn't a dream at all. Panic rose, "Blaise- I- My mother-" She choked on her voice as a sob escaped her lips, and he came rushing to her side, wrapping his arms protectively around her trembling frame. "She's... she's dead!"

Hermione buried her head in the crook of his neck as she wept, blubbering incoherent words on last night's event. Her hands found their way behind his back, gripping onto his shirt. "I don't... I don't know what to do," she whimpered once she overcame the initial shock of recounting her mother's passing.

He brushed away her tears, a thumb tracing along her cheekbone, tucking away her frizzing hair. "Mum and I will help you with anything you need. We'll arrange the funeral-" A sob escaped her lips at the thought of organizing a service. Oh, the friends and family that wouldn't have the opportunity to see her one last time before she's truly gone. "Please, babe. Don't do anything rash, take your time." He kissed the tip of her nose, the top of her forehead, and pulled her into another embrace.

"I'll always be here for you."

Blaise left a few hours later, after Hermione cried herself back to sleep, to take care of any additional business needed to schedule a procession. And when Hermione woke up once more, she found herself alone in her own bedroom. Blaise must have carried her back at some point. All of last night's events were turning into a blur at this point.

Slowly, she sat up. Her back and neck ached as she stretched out the kinks in her bones and muscles. Her eyes scanned the room, the gleam in her eyes gone as her mind was numb from grief. _Oh_ , the red dress from the night before.

That's right... It was All Hallow's Eve last night, and now, the anniversary of her mother's passing. _Ba-dum._ And it was also the announcement of Draco's engagement for the ever beautiful Astoria Greengrass. _Ba-dum._ Tears welled up in her eyes as the thought of the man's betrothal filled her mind. _Ba-dum. Ba-dum._

Just what the _fuck_ was wrong with her? She gritted her teeth, pissed at herself as she became aware of her thoughts. Hermione angrily wiped away at the tears. Her _fucking_ mother died because she couldn't do _shit_ to save the woman's life, and here she was, not having grieved for even twenty-four hours, and she was crying over her ex-boyfriend's _fucking_ engagment. Just what in the actual _fuck_ was going on with her mind?

Hermione threw herself off the bed, grabbing last night's gown and with immense strength, she tore at the seam, ripping apart the gorgeous red dress. She ripped it to shreds while screaming and crying at the top of her lungs. She was exhausted from thinking about _him_ when she shouldn't have been. Exhausted from dealing with unnecessary _shit_ from his family. Pissed that _he_ would be the one person she'd cry over her dead mum. Just - _rip-_ what - _rip-_ the - _rip-_ _fuck_?! She was tired of him. Tired of Draco _fucking_ Malfoy and his _vile_ smirk and his _stupid_ charm. Tired of the elitist bull _shit_.

" _FUCK_!" She bellowed, falling onto her knees once all her strength was spent. The dazzling evening gown was, now, no more than pieces of torn fabric, unrepairable. Like her heart.

* * *

"Our condolences."

"We're very sorry for your loss."

"Everything will be okay. Just give it time..."

"Let us know if you need anything."

"You'll be in our prayers tonight."

* * *

Weeks passed, or at least that's what it felt like, since her mother's death, and it rained non stop in London. Streets flooded and roads were closed. People were advised to stay indoors as the torrent continued to pound down relentlessly onto the city. But it didn't stop Hermione from visiting her mother at the cemetery.

How many times has she visited her grave? How many hours did she spend staring at the tombstone? How long did she talk to her mother?

The first few times, she carried an umbrella with her, letting the rain pelt against the nylon material. It was almost meditative, until she found out it was driving her insane. It didn't take much anymore to push her over the edge these days. Any little thing could trigger her hysteria. After that, she stopped bringing the umbrella, in fact, she stopped bringing anything other than herself.

She would leave early in the morning, and when the darkness crept over her shoulders, like a Dementor claiming its victim, she would go home. She lost track. Lost track of counting- forgetting just how many days passed. They all blurred into each other now.

It didn't matter anymore.

Nothing mattered anymore.

"Snapdragons?" She muttered as she approached the grave sight. It was the same as the one at the nursing home -red with yellow trims. The bouquet leaned against the small monument. It wasn't there yesterday. Did someone from the home visit? Odd how she didn't run into them. Hermione straightened out the flowers as they'd toppled over against the howling wind.

"It seems as if you have an admirer, Mother."

* * *

"Happy Valentine's Day, Father!" Hermione entered the room. The same old beige, boring, lifeless room. Red and yellow snapdragons danced to the breeze of the fan ever so gently. The man, now looking even older than he did last year, rocked in his chair staring at the blank wall across from him. Next to him was an empty one.

Nurse Jenkin had mentioned the orderlies tried to remove the chair, remove the memory, but just like the evening of her mother's dead, he threw a fit, screaming and crying. The first time they'd seen him react to.. Well, anything. And so the chair remained sitting there, next to him, unoccupied.

The door clicked shut as Blaise filed into the room; it was his first time visiting and the first time meeting Hermione's father. But the older Granger paid no mind to the new guest.

"How are you today?" She smiled as she crouched down next to him, placing her hand onto his. Tears welled up in her eyes as she noticed new wrinkles creasing along his skin. "I brought my boyfriend, Blaise." With the back of her pointer finger, she wiped away a stray tear. "We're here to celebrate a very special day with you."

With a deep inhale, the Italian man put on his best smile and greeted her father. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mister Granger." He placed a gentle hand over Hermione's, which continued to rest on her father's, looking down at his beautiful girlfriend. "I've been looking forward to this day for quite some time...I hope you'll be at ease knowing Hermione's grown into a beautiful and _strong_ woman." He paused for a moment, watching the man as he continued to sway back and forth in his seat. "...She's someone who you'd be so proud of."

Silent tears trickled down her cheeks as she stared at their hands, his fingers lacing her as he kissed the top of her head. As he excused himself, Hermione whispered to her father, "Isn't he a wonderful man?" A doleful smile appeared on her face.

Blaise set the picnic basket on top of the table, unloading everything from its contents. "Ooh, patè. Ooh, foie gras." Hermione giggled quietly, turning to look at her boyfriend. "What? I can't appreciate good food?" He grinned, handing her a box of chocolate-covered strawberries.

She mouthed a thank you to him, and she took the box and popped it open. "This was Mother's favorite -do you remember, Daddy?" She plucked a single fruit from the container.

"Happy thirtieth anniversary."

* * *

"Oh, Merlin's _fucking_ beard, _yes_!" She hung her head as her hips rolled against his; another moan escaped her lips when she felt him stiffen more inside her. _Fuck_. Both hands grasped at his shoulders, her nails digging deep into his flesh as she pounded against him, pushing deeper each time until her pussy consumed him entirely. Hermione moaned, her sultry voice drenched in desire.

His calloused hands tweaked her pert nipples, sending ripples up and down her already quaking body. Her body was tired and weak but wanted nothing other than his delicious cock inside her. His lips latched onto the nape of her neck, greedily nipping at her, marking Hermione as his for everyone to see tonight. His tongue lapped at her salty skin as sweat drenched the both of them.

They'd been at it since morning, fucking like rabbits, as they celebrated their second anniversary. But now, the sun was already setting on the other side of the hemisphere, and the two of them have yet to leave the bed.

Hermione grasped at his angular jaw, planting a wanton kiss onto his lips, her tongue clashing against his as she forcibly parted his mouth. She suckled on his lower lip for a moment, her teeth grazing the inside. "Mmm..." She moaned against him as she continued to grind herself on him, relishing in the satisfying feeling of his cock slipping in and out of her wet pussy. _Fuck._..

Those strong hands grasped onto the her delectable arse, smacking her cheeks as he encouraged her to ride him faster. "Fuck, yes. Yes -just like that," he groaned, bucking his hips against her.

Their eyes locked onto each others, and her lips parted as she pushed against his chest, lifting her hips up and down against him. She moaned every time; his cock felt so _good_ inside her, like a fitted glove to a hand.

She panted, gasping for air as their pace quickened. Her breasts bounced gleefully with every movement, and the sound of their skin slapping against each other filled the room. It was ecstasy. It was bliss. It was right. "Fuck!" she shouted as Blaise angled his hips, the tip of his cock slamming against her sensitive g-spot and her legs quivered.

There was a moment of weakness and he took his opportunity, flipping the witch over onto her back. He grabbed her legs, holding them together, straight as it pressed against his chest. He rammed himself into her dripping pussy, his brows creased as he concentrated on the tightness of her lower lips.

"Oh, _God_!" She groaned, arching her back, and a hand gripping onto the bed sheets as he slammed into her over and over. Her other hand slipped between her pinched thighs and wet folds, finding the hardened bud and drew quick circles over it. She tightened her pussy, her walls clenching down on his cock, "Yes, Blaise -Oh fuck!" And when she didn't think she could handle anymore, she reached the point she'd been striving for all day. "Keep doing that, _yes_! Oh, yes!" She shouted. "I'm gonna come! Oh-" Her body tensed as her inner muscles sucked him in, milking him for everything he was worth.

Their moans were too loud as the two of them came together. His hips twitched involuntarily and a coy gasp escaped her lips. They were sated, sweaty, breathing hard and fast as Blaise lowered himself onto her, his head resting on her chest as he listened to her rapid heartbeat. His mouth found a nipple as he teased her, latching onto her bud and traced his tongue around it.

"Mmm..." she groaned, her fingers raking through the tresses of his black hair. "What time is it?"

A _pop!_ came from his mouth as he pulled away from the witch, slowly pulling his prick out of her, still, trembling pussy and reached for the wrist watch sitting on the nightstand next to them. "Fifteen til eight."

"Eight?!" She exclaimed, her eyes widening at the time. Hermione sat up, twisting her head around and looked out of the window. It was definitely evening. The sky was painted in a deep rainbow as it was finally the sun's turn to retire for the night. "Shite- we need to get ready!"

"Who's going to be there tonight?" Hermione glanced up at Blaise, who was dressed in a grey blazer and a white button-up with matching grey slacks. He always made sure he had plenty of time to make himself look nice, even if it was just going on a date with Hermione. A trait he, so obviously, picked up from his mother.

He tugged at the collar of his shirt, stretching his neck as he kept his eyes straight ahead. "Lots of people -the usual, I guess."

Hermione still didn't understand it. She couldn't comprehend why it was so important for him to set up lavish parties and events to prove his wealth. Was there some sort of Pureblood function where awards were handed out for the most interesting gathering hosted? Why did it matter? Hermione pursed her lips, tucking a loose curl behind her ears.

For their second anniversary, she wore a stunning emerald backless v-neck dress. Delicate beading on the embroidered bodice dipped just low enough to show off her alluring cleavage. The lace applique waterfalled into a short a-line skirt, perfectly hugging at her every curves. Around her neck was the same necklace Blaise had given her two Christmases ago, and a pair of matching earrings clung onto her earlobes as they dangled gracefully.

Their fingers laced around one another's as they arrived at the club they'd first met -or rather, hooked up. Her cheeks flushed at the thought.

"Are you ready?" He looked down at her with a cheeky smirk as excitement sparked in his eyes. He pulled open the door.

Hermione nodded (his enthusiasm was contagious) and entered. A quiet gasp escaped her lips as she looked around the nightclub. "Did _you_ do this?" She breathed out a laugh, amazed at drastically the environment changed.

Using his family name, of course, Blaise booked _Bond_ for the entire evening, leaving it to just him, Hermione, and their friends to have fun. And, during his free time, not today of course, he assembled a group of Gryffindors and Slytherins (which would never happen again in the future as shit almost hit the fan, so to speak) to setup and decorate the discotheque.

Gold and silver streamers hung from the ceiling, with silver stars floating and twinkling to pair with the decoration. One giant golden and red star twirled in the middle of the dance floor, like a disco ball. Red and green balloons littered the entry way and everywhere else in between. Every booth was embellished with the themes of the countries they've visited in the past two years- from the United States to Africa to France; it was all there. The deejay playing the first song they danced to on repeat - Fall in Love by Barcelona.

"Actually, everyone helped." He smiled, placing his hands on her shoulders as he led her towards mingling crowd. Everyone's attire ranged from shades of silver and gold.

A crease formed between her brows as Hermione pursed her lips, crinkling her nose a bit, "Did I miss some sort of dress code memo?"

Blaise laughed, "No, but everyone else had one."

"Why?"

"Do you ever stop asking questions?"

"Only when I get my answers." She bit back, a smirk danced across her lips.

A sigh escaped his lips, though he smiled. A Hermione who didn't have the last words, just wasn't Hermione at all. "Because you deserve starlight."

Her heart fluttered at his sweet words, and, for once, she was rendered speechless.

"I love you."

"Aaah! I can't believe it's already been _two years_." Ginny giggled while downing her third glass of beer. She, then, leaned over, her entire upper half body covering the table as she loudly whispered to Hermione, "Is the sex still good?"

"Gin!" Harry snapped, pulling his wife back down onto her seat. "We can _all_ hear you."

Hermione laughed into her hands, her cheeks reddened at her friend's inquisitive question.

"I just wanted to know!" She pouted, stealing her husband's bottled ale.

She was surrounded by her Gryffindor friends, sitting at the Paris table as fireworks lit up, like Christmas lights, against the wall, each time creating a different pattern. Everyone playing catch up with each other since they don't see each other as often as they used to. They were all adults with responsibilities, some even with children. Merlin, how the time passed so quickly.

Hermione craned her neck, looking for her boyfriend, who stood amongst the other Slytherins, chattering away while he nursed at the glass of bourbon.

The rivalry between the two houses were still strong, even after all these years. The lions hung out in their pride while the snakes were with their nest. The odd ones out were those who belonged in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff -they all sort of intermingled with each other, bouncing between houses, making friends and conversation. But, it didn't matter to Hermione much. As long as everyone enjoyed themselves and had fun.

And tonight was just about that.

 _When I act a little crazy, remember my love for you won't fade, won't fade, you keep it blazing..._

Her hand were wrapped around his neck as his rested on her hips. Her back was arched against his chest and the two of them danced closely, swaying their bodies to the beat of the sensual song - _their_ song. Her eyes were closed as she felt the rhythm vibrating against her chest, the melodic tempoed with the thump of her heart.

She rested the back of her head against the crook of his neck, glancing up towards him. His eyes were shut as he listened to the music, never growing tired of it. He lip synced to the song, bobbing his head along as well. Hermione cracked a small smile before turning her attention towards the dancing crowd.

Ginny and Harry weren't too far away. The two of them whispering to each other as Harry sashayed awkwardly to the music. The man never had any rhythm, but the redhead didn't seem to mind at all as she enjoyed the moment with him. Luna and her date, Jez, were on the dance floor as well. How odd fate just worked out sometimes.

She needed this -this night, with all of her friends, to let go and just be herself. It'd been so long since she's had an opportunity since the passing of her mother. The thought brought tears to her eyes, but Hermione willed it away, telling herself she didn't need to have the evening ruined due to a fleeting thought.

Since her mother's death, Hermione threw herself in her work, hardly ever going out. She canceled dates with Blaise and with friends. Figuring out how to fix her father's memory became an unhealthy obsession once again. There had been two other times in which she buried herself in her books and research. The first after her botched attempt at restoring their memories and the sick mania lasted for months until Draco came along and saved her before she lost mind. And the second was after her separation with Draco. Hiding away in her study was the only thing she knew to do.

 _I don't wanna hold you down, dear, trying to make it so clear, hoping that we fall in love, fall in love_

It was, then, their eyes met once again. Warm brown clashing with icy grey, and time stood still. He was near the bar, a drink in hand as a fellow classmate spoke to him, but he didn't pay any attention. His focus was on her as she danced with her boyfriend. And if she and Draco could hear it, they would hear their hearts beating in sync.

The last time she saw him was All Hollow's Eve, almost a year back. It was that fateful night when her world came crumbling down into pieces, and she vowed herself to never think of him again. But, there he was, standing there with his head held high as if the world owed him something, watching her with an icy stare.

 _I want you for so long, tell me is it so wrong, even if we fall in love, fall in love_

There it was -that familiar ache in her chest. An old friend who was no longer welcomed, forcing itself back into her life. And it only ever happened around him.

"To the most _bewitching_ woman to ever exist," Blaise grinned, toasting the crowd as everyone held their glasses in the air. "To my girlfriend, who's supported me through thick and thin. Who's been my best friend these past two years. My confidant. My lover."

Hermione's cheeks flushed as Ginny nudged her, grinning as usual.

The music was turned down, and an ambient tune carried itself through the crowd as everyone circled around the couple. Cameras flashed in the background as friends documented the memory.

"Here's to two years of amazing adventures, beautiful memories, and getting to know the love of my life."

Oh, could her face get any redder? She smiled coyly at her boyfriend, shying away ever so slightly as all the attention was focused on her.

"I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful girlfriend." He paused, handing his glass to Theodore Nott, who stood behind him. "And I hope to celebrate more and more of these occasions with you as we grow older." Her heart skipped a beat as he made his way over towards her. Blaise took the champagne glass, handing it off to Ginny, and held Hermione's hands in his. His soft eyes glued onto hers. "To learn, to love, to live the happy moments and the sad. To grow from our mistakes..."

Silence filled the air and not even a single pin dropped to end it. Blaise glanced up, and everyone followed suit. The disco star spinning in the middle of the dance floor lowered itself on cue, fitting itself in between Blaise and Hermione. Words slowly formed on the ornament and Ginny was the first to gasp -although a bit too loudly.

Hermione stared at the words, her heart beating too loudly for her to hear the sudden clamoring from their friends. Her breath shortened, comprehending the words: _Hermione Granger, will you be my wife?_

Her attention focused back onto Blaise as he knelt onto one knee, and a small red velvet box in his hands. "Will you marry me?"

* * *

 **Responses** :

TheNameIsNym: Haha, I'm glad you catch the reference! There's actually quite a bit of Easter eggs in _all_ of my stories referencing back to either Empire or anything Mr. Benzedrine writes. :) But I'm super happy to know that you get the feels reading it!

Jelibean323: Thank you for the compliment! Hopefully this chapter lives up to your expectation as well.

Guest: #TeamWhateverGetsHermioneLaid

Apsincadenscence: Thank you!

Sam Wallflower: I know I messaged you earlier, but I just wanted to say another thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! (I'm always on Draco's side as well, so these chapters really tested my patience.)

Draconian666: Isn't he super sweet? :) Such an amazing boyfriend.

LightofEvolution: Thank you! I'm still happy you think it's awesome! I know you're a Dramione fan all the way through, so I hope this chapter didn't disappoint you in anyway! XD

MrBenzedrine: You're always amazing. As usual! 3


	3. Know Love

**A/N:** Welcome to the third and _final_ installment of Background. I know many of you guys were waiting eagerly for this chapter, so I hope it does you proud -one way or another. Responses and comments about Background at the end. Since this is the last chapter, for any reviews coming in, I'll send you guys private messages. :) Thank you everyone for your continued support on this short series, especially Mr. Benzedrine who cheered me on the entire way though. You've been the best!

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Know Love**

Oh this I swear

I promise to myself

I'll never let you go

Give you my heart and soul

 _Cure_ \- Barcelona

 _How long has it been?_

 _Since the rain?_

A storm had settled in London, creating a downstream of torrential rain viciously beating against the window pane. The downpour created a canvas of white noise echoing through the empty streets of London as a warning was issued for citizens to stay indoors. These past few weeks reminded Hermione all too much of when her mother passed. The dark and lonely days crawling at a pace much too slow for her. Only a short period passed since the city had last seen the sun, and just days since she last saw Blaise.

Thunder roared in the distance, and with each grumble of its foul temper, it drew nearer. She hated the thunder. Hated it since her would-have-been seventh year at Hogwarts when she, Harry, and Ron were on the run from the snatchers. The reverberation reminded her too much of their footsteps, booming in, closer and closer as they tried to escape -only to be caught and, later, sentenced to torture at the Malfoy Manor.

An involuntary shudder rolled through her body as Hermione huddled on her couch in her apartment. The curtains were drawn -her attempt at blocking out the howling gale, though it made little change. The living room was lit only by a candle, flickering ever so gently as the wax pooled around the wick.

Trembling knees were drawn to her chest as she covered herself with a blanket -her safety. It soothed her. A serenity. It reminded her of his arms, gently draped around her shoulders, comforting her, as she tried to liberate herself from the prison of her mind.

 _It's just a storm._

 _It won't do anything._

A sigh left her lips, reminding herself everything would be okay. It was a ruthless cycle. Hermione always thought she was strong enough to overcome her fear, because in the end, it was all just a mind game.

She was smart and strong and...

Post traumatic stress disorder wasn't easy. Even after ten years, she still suffered. Each time she blinked, she was reminded of the past. Every time a rainstorm passed by, or a hurricane, a tornado -her list grew longer each time. The only time she braved a storm was when her mother died. During that time, the Heavens were her closest friend, comforting her as she mourned the loss of her beloved mum.

The only solace today, and these past few days, was the familiar, snug feeling on her finger. The pad of her thumb gently traced along the edges of her engagement ring as she inhaled deeply, trying to go into a meditative state. No, this... _this_ was her serenity now.

Hermione glanced down, staring at the elegant band.

 _How many weeks has it been?_

 _Since he asked?_

It was beautiful -the ring. A clear cut silhouette diamond sitting on a simple sterling silver band, embossed with tiny green diamonds. It's plain design sat well with Hermione; it was very much like herself. Except...having another engagement ring -it reminded her too much of the past, too much of when she last wore a band, too much of _him_.

She didn't see him. Or rather, she hadn't seen him. Not since her and Blaise's engagement. Not since they last made eye contact. The flutter in her heart long stopped. This jewel sitting on her finger said she was taken. And it was for the better.

It was time to leave the past and, eventually, move towards the future.

 _He_ had.

A gentle rap on the front door sounded and her eyes darted towards the mantel clock sitting above the sleeping fireplace. It was late evening, the hour hand almost touching ten.

 _Who would be visiting me at this hour?_

Gone was the scared witch who nestled in the couch, and a brave front was replaced. Up she went, towards the door as another quiet knock sounded. Hermione squared her shoulders, extended her neck, and cleared her throat. In her free hand was a wand, just in case something was to happen. And with the other, she turned the doorknob and pulled the door open.

Oh -why didn't she check through the peephole first? Oh, she should have. She really-

"Draco." Her eyes widened at the man standing before her. The façade she wore -dropped.

He was drenched, from head to toe. How long had he been standing outside her door? His usual wispy blonde hair was heavy from the weight of the water; droplets of rain trickled out from the tip of his tresses. Those ice grey eyes stared at her, bloodshot and puffy. His lips, though wet from the storm, were chapped. A man she was so used to seeing dressed prim and proper was the epitome of unkempt.

Instinctively, her eyes darted down towards her hand, the one wearing Blaise's engagement ring.

His eyes followed. "Congratulations," he whispered, a scowl sitting on his face.

Her heart twisted, the pain all too familiar. As if someone was wringing it, squeezing out every last drop of blood.

It'd been so long since they last exchanged words. Hermione stopped counting, but the memory burned all too well in her mind. It was the day he almost died at the underwater aquarium. The day he last whispered her name. The day they last interacted. Her first anniversary with her fiancè.

"What are you..." Her voice cracked as she forced herself to speak. Another clear of her throat. " _Uhem_ -What are you doing here?" Hermione continued to stare at the man before her, ignoring his toast. When was the last time she was so...so...nervous? To be near him? To be standing directly in front of him? Not once since their separation, over five and a half years ago, did they spend a single time alone. This was the first time. In a _very_ long time. "Blaise is out of town until next week..."

A moment of silence fell between the two of them as she stood in her apartment, a hand gripping tightly onto the knob. Should she invite him in? It was awfully cold outside. But, would it be wrong? To have her former lover enter her home?

Hermione missed it. She missed the dastardly grin dancing on his lips as her brain worked in circles trying to figure out what her next steps should be. Then she heard him-

"Good." Draco took a bold step forward, pushing her backwards, a hand grabbed the frame of the door and slammed it shut behind him as he entered her apartment. The loft vibrated in protest, but it went unnoticed between the two.

The familiar scent of lavender and parchment filled his nostrils, fueling his drive. His foot slid right next to hers as she stumbled back, her eyes wide with confusion, just as much as she wore the look of surprise.

And it all happened too fast -too fast for Hermione to comprehend.

Without skipping a beat, his hand snaked behind her neck, pulling her into a forceful kiss. It was awkward -desperate. Their lips smashed onto each others all too roughly. Their teeth bumped against the other's. Their syncrasy was off -but in the heat of the moment, it didn't bother them. All that mattered, now, was the fire blazing in the pits of their stomachs.

Draco pushed forward against Hermione as her hands pressed upon his chest. Almost as if she was pushing him away, but her hands held no power when it came to his spellbinding touch. He always made her knees weak. Draco nipped at her lower lip while she pressed against his mouth, opening, inviting in the frenzy of his kisses. Their tongue danced for dominance, relishing in the roughness of their movements.

"Mmm _oh..._ " Her fingers, finding the back of his head, combed through the damp tresses, gripping them as she tightened her hold around the wizard. Hermione pulled her head away, pulling in a breath or two before he found her swollen lips once more.

Breathing only came second to what they were doing.

Her eyes fluttered shut as her tongue traced his lips. Her mind blanked. A bitter taste of whiskey and zesty orange exploded in her mouth, and a moan escaped. It was all so nostalgic.

 _Oh_ , he yearned for her. Draco'd almost forgotten how delicious she was, how soft her skin felt, how sexy her groans were. But it all came flooding back the moment he touched her beautiful lips.

Draco kept pushing forwards as they continued snogging, both of them afraid to breathe anymore, scared they would suddenly jolt awake, and it'd all be a dream.

But it was so... _real._

The tension in his muscles as her fingers caressed his arm. The urgency in his touches as he pulled at her t-shirt -over her head and discarded onto the ground. The hunger in his eyes as he broke away from their kisses, staring down at her hypnotizing figure. Her pert breasts resting snuggly in a pink bra, her taut stomach expanding and contracting to the rhythm of her breathing.

He wasted no time. Each moment he grew more and more desperate. He wanted - no, he _needed_ her like the earth needed its sun and a hummingbird to its nectar. Without her, he was nothing. Without her, he was incomplete. Without her...

Hermione's hand grazed along the hem of his soaking shirt. "You're wet." A simple, yet profound, comment. She, quickly, bundled up the bottom of his top, her knuckles grazing against his cold skin as she pulled his shirt off.

For a moment, and just a moment, they stood still. Their eyes absorbing the other before them. And, for just a moment, a fleeting thought came to mind. Were they going to do this? Was this going to happen? Their hearts pounded, threatening to break out of the confines of their chest as the seconds crawled on by.

It was Draco who moved first. Another step forward, towards the brown-haired witch, her shoulders trembling ever so slightly. Was she cold? Scared? Nervous? The nails on his finger traced along the valley of her breasts to the dip of her stomach and rested at the waistline of her pajama bottom.

Even in her jammies, she was still a queen.

Forever a queen.

Draco looked up as his pointer finger hooked underneath the band, and he tugged gently, testing her reaction. His silvery-blue eyes stared at her warm chocolate ones, waiting for her response.

What came next couldn't have surprised him more.

A smirk danced across her lips _-Merlin_ , was she beautiful. The kind of mischievous grin she picked up from him all those years ago. Hermione couldn't have worn it better. A light caress of her hand grazed his, and his eyes fluttered down towards the hemlines of her pants. Her thumb looped over her waistband and with a bashful sway of her hips, she slowly tugged them down. Her cheeks flushed as she turned to look away from him, revealing matching knickers.

God, she wore pink so well.

His thumb brushed against her pelvic bone, and a shiver came running down her spine. Her chest tightened as her pajama bottoms pooled onto the floor around her ankles. His eyes drank in her every dip and curve.

Her beauty unmatched.

Draco pulled her in. His arms wound around her waist as their lips met, once more, in delicate kisses. Her arms snaked around his neck in response, pulling herself in closer towards him, their chest pressed against each other, hearts pounding rapidly as their intensity grew.

Forgetting about the bundle of clothes around their feet, he stepped forward. Hermione moved back reflexively, but trapped within the pajama bottoms, she tripped, quickly falling backwards onto the carpeted floor of the hallway. His grip around her waist tightened as they both collapsed, and an arm stuck out, a makeshift beam, to soften her descent.

The back of her head thumped lightly against the rug; their concentration never breaking.

His kisses traced along her jawline, trailing down her slender neck, remembering all of her erogenous zone. He bit down on her delicate skin, careful to not leave a mark, eliciting a quiet mewl as she pushed her breast against his chest.

His wandering hands slipped underneath her pink bra, shoving it upwards, not bothering to even remove it properly as desperation settled in. Those slender fingers found her pert nipple, pinching it tenderly between the pads of his thumb and pointer. A delectable moan slipped through her lips as her hand covered her mouth in an attempt to muffle the sound. The simple ministration of her sensitive bud sent jolts all throughout her body, warmth pooling between her thighs as she squeezed them together.

Draco couldn't get enough. She was his candy, his nectar, his lifeline -how he managed to go five years without her was beyond his comprehension. His tongue trailed along her collarbone, leaving cooling saliva in its wake as he continued his way towards her breast, finally shoving the bra off over her head. His lips latched onto the other bud, taking it between his teeth, gently biting down as another sigh sounded from her. He massaged the beautiful mounds, taking his precious time with her. There was no rushing when it came to satisfying _his_... Hermione.

Thunder and lightning crashed overhead, but Hermione heard none of it as she drowned in the sweet sensation of his mouth. His hands worked its way down her body, pressing against her stomach and resting over the mound between her legs. A finger slipped between her thighs, underneath her panties, and pushed into the wet folds of her lower lips.

"Fuck, Hermione..." he groaned against her pebbled bud, looking at her as a pink blush crawled its way up her neck and settling onto her cheeks. She looked away; her hand still covering her mouth as she panted. At the release of her breast, Draco lowered himself, spreading her thighs and propping the crook of her knees onto his shoulders.

Pushing her knickers to the side, he exhaled a hot breath which brushed against her pussy as he marveled at the sight, shudders running through her body once more as the sensation. "Oh-" she started, her hips bucking ever so slightly as his tongue pushed through her folds and flicked at her clit. Her legs quivered as he continued rubbing his skilled tongue along her sensitive button -the roughness making her squirm against his touch. "Yesss," she whispered, sighing loudly as her hips rolled along with his sensual massage.

A moan came from Draco as he fluttered his eyes opened, watching the writhing witch, watching her lose all control as he lapped at her juices. His fingers pressed against her slick opening, brushing against her sensitive region, before he roughly shoved them in, suddenly spreading her walls.

"Draco!" Hermione half-shouted while moaning out the rest of his name. Her walls clamped down on his fingers as he pumped them in and out with vigor. He curled them upwards, the tip of his digits scape along her spongy flesh. "Draco, I'm -I'm gonna-" She panted, her chest heaving up and down as she tried to catch her breath.

At her remark, Draco quickened his actions. A third finger pushed into her dripping pussy, stretching her walls further as his lips latched onto her clit, sucking at the pebble as his tongue added that extra push she needed to reach the edge. "Oh- _fuck!_ "she shouted; her hips raised off the floor, quivering against his face as she reached her climax. Her walls squeezed his fingers as he slowed his pace, and she whimpered when he fully removed them from her twitching pussy.

He lowered her legs, removing her juice soaked panties, before propping her feet flat onto the ground. Sweat beaded at the edge of her hairline as she came down from her high.

Hermione watched Draco as he situated himself between her legs. His brows furrowed as his hands worked on the clasp of his buckle. Once the belt was undone, the rest came easily. He popped off the button and unzipped his denim, and without any hesitation, he pushed his pants down, past his hips, past his pelvic muscles, lower as his cock sprung out and past his thighs, discarded, unneeded.

For a brief moment, their eyes locked onto each others once more, his eyes softening at her beautiful expression. Her lips slightly parted as she breathed heavily. Her eyelids hooded from the wave of pleasure still coursing through her body.

A hand cupped her jaw as he leaned in, pressing his lips against hers as his body rested on top of hers. Their chest against each others as he cradled himself between her parted legs.

Her heart skipped a beat as she felt the hood of his cock press against her opening, the tip of his shaft sliding up and down along the length of her pussy. A pang of guilt struck her chest as she nipped at his lower lip. Her arm wrapped around the nap of his neck, and he slowly pushed into her, filling her insides entirely -the remorse was long forgotten. Hermione reveled in the deliciousness of his cock, mewling as he continued to inch his way in. His prick stretched her walls, giving her a moment to adjust to him before he continued to unravel inside her.

The beat of his heart rapped against the cage of his chest, excited at the familiar feeling of being inside her. He missed this. The feeling of being whole, of being complete -because of _her_. God, it always felt amazing. They both sighed as he buried himself to the hilt, resting for a moment as they savored in nostalgia.

"Move," she murmured, wrapping her legs around his waist, her feet resting on his backside as she applied a slight pressure.

And her wish was his command.

Pushing himself up into a kneeling position, ignoring the faint burn on his patellas from the textured floor, Draco slid his cock out, watching how it glistened with her juices. "Mmm..." She exhaled, the sensation of his dick pulling out was enough to make her legs quiver.

With his back straightened, he rested both hands on her bouncing breasts, steadying himself as he picked up the pace, pounding into her, making sure his cock was buried completely each time. He stared at her as her brows furrowed, her teeth biting into the web of her hand as she tried so hard not to scream.

A smug smirk made its way onto his lips as he made it his goal to have her screaming his name by the end of it.

His fingers pinched and rolled her nipples as she arched her back, pushing her chest harder into the palm of his hands.

Hermione found herself rolling her hips against his thrusts. Their actions growing hard and swift, their movements frantic, as if what they were doing wasn't enough. Her mouth opened in an 'o' as he continued to fuck her senseless. He always knew exactly what she needed, and right now she wanted all of him.

An ache started to develop in the pit of her stomach, and she accepted it wholeheartedly. It'd been so long since she felt this way -this feeling- she could never grow tire of.

Draco leaned in, pressing his forehead against hers as their bodies slammed against each other. The music of their moans was drowned out by the continuous roar of the storm overhead. But she welcomed it as he comforted her as he used to, sheltering her from the dangers of the outside world. His protective nature was comforting.

Beads of sweat, mixed in with what was left from the rain, trickled down his temple, falling onto her face as the room grew warmer from their elevated body heat.

A hand reached down between them, fingers quickly finding the swollen bud as he traced circles around it, forcing even more electrifying jolts to course through her body. "Draco!" Her slender hand wrapped around his wrist as he kept up with his attention on her clit. Her heart pounded uncontrollably as her body tensed from the overwhelming sensation. "Please-" she whined, her hips bucking as she squirmed underneath him.

He exhaled roughly through his nostrils as he flashed her a grin between pants, refusing to listen -determined to have her come once more. "Please..." he whispered tenderly into her ear, suckling at her earlobe. "please, you want _more_?" He jerked his hips against hers as his thumb continued to run circled around her clit, ecstatic as her pussy only grew wetter and wetter.

"I'm gonna come," she nearly squealed as her thighs clasped around Draco's hips. "Draco-" He pinched at her clit as his lips kissed her neck, right behind her ears where she was most sensitive, and she audibly shuddered. "Mmmgods- _Draco!_ " Her walls clamped down on his thrusting cock, her hips withdrawing from the explosive orgasm erupting from her pussy, sending waves after waves of pleasure through her body as she quaked underneath him.

"Fuck-" he groaned as her pussy tightened, trapping his cock in her as he continued fucking her spasming core. His movements were short and rigid as he felt himself reaching his end. "Shit-" he whispered, quickly pulling himself out of her before he came, stopping himself in time. He didn't want it to end. Not just yet. Not after five years.

Confusion set over her, watching him scramble onto his feet.

He pulled the witch up, her knees almost giving out from her weakened state, but he caught her quickly. Draco's lips came crashing down onto hers with newfound fervor, their tongues clashing in a battle over dominance as he ushered her towards the end of the hallway and into her bedroom. They stumbled over over each other's feet when they entered the dark room, and Hermione fell back onto the bed, breaking the kiss.

He stood over her, his chest rising up and down as his searched for her bewitching eyes. How could he have let this woman go? After all these years - _stupid Draco_.

"Get on your knees." Draco commanded, and the silhouette of her body shifted, the bed creaking under the weight of her body. "That's it, good girl..." He commended, a hand rubbing her round arse, fondling it for a moment, before his palm came down on her sensitive cheeks.

 _Smack!_

She gasped at the sudden blow; her arse stinging on contact, but the pain subsided as his lips made contact with her delicate flesh. "Mmm..." Hermione sighed, hanging her head, her silky smooth hair cascaded over like a veil. A slender finger brushed along the slit of her drenched pussy, stroking her clit.

"Do you like it when I touch you like that?" Draco leaned in, whispering into her ear. She nodded, unable to give him a verbal response. But that was fine- it was perfectly okay. "Good," he drew his fingers away and evoking a disappointed groan from her. Instead, he grabbed his cock, spreading her slickness all over himself, before pressing the tip against her opening once more. He shifted, his knees on the edge of the bed as he repositioned himself. "How about this?"

She nodded, biting at her lower lip. "Please -Draco, just... _Oh_ -yes!" He pushed himself into her wet core, her moans drove him crazy; they always had, as it always managed to turn him on even more, every time. Begging looked so good on her.

Draco responded by peppering kisses all over her exposed neck and shoulders, trailing them down her back. At the same time, his hands found her breasts, massaging them, rolling her nipples in circles with his thumbs. His actions sparked a fire deep inside Hermione once more, and she thrust back against him, her hips rolling and her arse smacking against his pelvic muscles. A guttural growl sounded, caught off guard from his actions and he shoved forward against her when she pushed back.

Like the waltz, they built a rhythm, slowing down after three counts and speeding up after another three, over and over. Her body changed along with the tempo, tensing and moving in one direction, then relaxing and alternated with a new movement. From where Draco stood -it was an intoxicating sight that drove him on.

He reached, with one hand, down between her spread thighs, rubbing her clit, holding onto his resolve of having her fully satisfied once more. "Fuck," she panted, her elbows almost giving out at his touch. Draco quickened his pace as their tempo changed once more, his other hand gripping onto her backside as he held her. His thrusts were rapid and harsh, pounding into her quivering pussy as if there would be no more tomorrow.

The apparent change in his rhythm intensified the climatic knot in her core, eliciting an increase of volume of her moans. Draco approving of her response, fucked her with even more vigor. His cock sliding in and out of her cunt, splaying her juices all over their thighs and onto her bed. It created a cycle between the two. Her sensual, guttural cries increased as his intensity grew.

Eventually, as a result of their ever growing ecstasy, Draco began to lose self-control and it spread quickly through his entire body, losing his rhythm in a flurry of bliss. Everything around him began to fade until he could only feel the caress of her pussy, juicy and slick, engulfing his cock, and the soft sensation of her ass against him as he slammed into her. Her moans filled his head, creating a fog in his mind, unable to visualize to hear anything else but.

Everything else in the world disappeared -and there were only two things which mattered: satisfying Hermione and the relief that had brought him over in the first place.

"Mmm _fuck_... yes, Draco- aah!" Hermione moaned loudly at the change of his tempo.

Words wouldn't form with him anymore. It was just instinct now.

He looked down at her peach-like arse, his fingers digging into her flesh, then to the beauty who looked over her shoulders back at him. His cock twitched as their eyes met, her pupils blown to the nines as she continued to stare at him.

 _Fuck_ , she was so beautiful, just looking at him like that. So incredible -and it drove him absolutely insane. Draco broke away from their stare down, pressing his head between her shoulder blades as he continued to push roughly into her. His, still wet, hair tickled the back of her neck while sweat rolled down their body. The room was insufferably hot from their continuous...lovemaking.

"Ah... ha..yes- Draco, I'm- I'm gonna..." She groaned, unable to form complete sentences as his fingers continued to rub, pinch, and pull at her throbbing clit. Her thighs shook violently as her body tensed, her elbow giving out, her chest slamming onto the mattress. Her walls convulsed around his cock as she came, for the third time.

"Mmmm..."

Hermione whimpered as the blonde continued to pound into her, clenching his jaw. Her pussy continued to collapse and cave in around him, pushing him over the edge of control. "Fuck, Hermione..." he groaned, furiously fucking her, losing the last bit of his mind he had managed to keep.

She continued to moan and gasp as his every thrust, rolling her hips against his.

Finally, when he could no longer hold himself back, he let go -seeing nothing but the woman before him, her face twisted in pleasure as he released himself into her. His ears heard nothing but the heavy sounds of her breath.

With one last shudder, Draco fell forward, collapsing over her, holding himself up with his elbows digging into the mattress. His chin rested on her shoulder a while as his breathing regulated before pushing himself off, his back sticky against the fabric of the bed.

Her eyes were closed as she came down from her high, but they fluttered open once more when Draco laid next to her. His chest lined with sweat as it reflected the moon's light. Her hand reached out towards his, and as if no time had passed, his palms opened, their fingers lacing around each other's.

A comfortable silence hovered over them as sleep threatened to take over. The storm, at some point, subsided into a light drizzle, grumbled from a far off distances. For once, in a very long time, Hermione's heart was calm.

"You know... it's been almost six years since we've last really interacted?" She muttered, staring at the blonde who laid in her bed, nearly asleep.

"Hm?"

Hermione sat up a little more, resting her head on the palm of her hand while the other continued to hold onto his hand. "Actually, it's been five years, eight months, and..." She paused, thinking for a moment, "eight days. If you want to be precise."

"That doesn't sound right." He frowned, turning his head towards her, their eyes meeting, again. "We talked during at the aquarium-"

"-more like argued."

"Regardless, I believe that's still considered interaction. And after that, I... saw you at my engagement party," Draco spoke slowly, a hint of sadness entering his eyes. "And then, I saw you at yours... Actually," he paused, debating his next sentence. "Actually, I saw you that night."

"That night?"

"At the club. At Bond."

Her heart skipped a beat at his comment as she stared at him wide-eyed. Her body tensed at the realization.

He _saw_ her?

That very night she and Blaise - _Oh,_ Merlin, no.

"I... was supposed to meet with the gang, but was held up with...work." He sighed, running his other hand through his damp tresses. "I saw you, and..." A bitter chuckle escaped his lips. "I was actually going to talk to you, but... Well, you know the rest."

There it was again. The feeling of someone reaching deep into her chest and ruthlessly squeezing her heart.

It only ever happened with him.

* * *

"Shit-fuck- _shit_!" She shouted at the top of her lungs as she stood in the middle of her living room. The cushions of the couch had been pulled out, and books were scattered everywhere. Cabinet doors were opened, and the drawers were pulled out of their place, all of the contents scattered onto the floor. Her usual tidy apartment looked as if a tornado blew through, destroying everything in its wake.

Hermione smacked her cheeks, running scraped up fingers through the tresses of her unusually messy hair. She hadn't the time to glamour her hair; actually, it'd been about a week since she really paid attention to anything. Her mind was focused on something else.

Something important.

It was missing.

Her engagement ring.

She looked _everywhere_. At work. At home. At Blaise's apartment. At Vernonia's manor. Nothing. Nothing came up. "Fuck!" She stamped her feet once more in frustration, her heart beating out of control.

Her fiancè would be coming back tomorrow from his work trip, and Hermione grew desperate. She didn't want him to come back, not seeing a ring on her finger. Not that she deserved to wear it anymore -a familiar pang of guilt jabbed at her chest as she recounted her... evening with Draco.

Wait- _Draco_.

The ring was still on her finger the night he came over. She remembered it clearly, but it was also around the time when the it went missing. Her brown eyes darted towards her empty hand. Could he have taken it? Would he be that low as to steal her precious engagement ring?

Fury boiled deep within her. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like he was the culprit in all of this.

"That god _damned prat_!" Hermione stormed over towards the inactive fireplace in the living room and with a quick wave of her hand, fire came to life. The red dancing embers calmly waited for her next move. A moment of hesitation passed through her as Hermione reached for the Floo powder sitting on the shelf above.

Should she really be seeing him right now? Was this a good idea? But... what if she couldn't get the ring back? Blaise would question everything -and... and she couldn't have that happen. Her heart jumped into her throat as she threw the fine powder into the pit. The fire erupted into green flames, creating a portal. "Draco Malfoy's apartment!" Her words rang loud and clear -filled with anger.

Draco had just arrived back to his apartment when the fireplace roared green. He threw his jacket onto the couch, waiting, watching to see just who would step through the pit. His wand was drawn as a precaution. He could never be too sure these days.

 _Oh-_ He lowered his wand, tucking the stick back into its holster and straightened himself for her arrival, a smirk finding its place snugly on his lips. "Hermione Gran-"

"-Where is it, _Draco Malfoy_?" Her words oozed with anger as she stepped out of the fireplace, dragging in coals and ashes.

"Are you-" He sighed, his hands on his hips. "Are you just going to bring in a trail of mess into my house like that?" The blonde gestured towards the mess behind her.

Ignoring his comment, the bushy haired witch stormed over towards him. Her hand reaching out, grabbing the knot of his tie, bringing him down to her eye level. "Where. Is. It?" Hermione spoke slowly, threateningly. Her eyes darkened with rage as she glared at the man, ignoring his _stupid_ smirk.

 _Oh_ \- he just... he just _pissed her off_ sometimes.

"Whatever are you talking about, Granger?" He flashed her an innocent grin, or as innocent any Malfoy could pull off, arching a brow as he reveled at the witch's foul mood.

"My engagement ring!" She glowered, shoving him, and he stumbled back, though the smile on his face grew wider.

"Aah," he feigned a disheartened sigh. "You mean you didn't _come all this_ way to see me? After the wonderful, _wonderful_ evening we shared the other night?" Draco enjoyed, so much, watching the pink tint crawl up her cheek. _Merlin_ , she wore pink so well.

He readjusted his tie, straightening and loosening it. The damned witch really did a number on the material when she yanked on it. Oh well, it's not like he had hundreds more of the similar accessory. Draco casually slipped his hands into the pocket of his slacks as he noticed his ex continued to glare daggers. If looks could kill -well, let's just say he would have been a goner years back. "Do you mean this little thing?" He pulled out a diamond engagement ring with emerald jewels embossed in the band. "It's...cute." It looped around the tip of his pointer finger as he held it up. "Not...Not very Hermione-like though, wouldn't you agree?" The smirk on his lips grew wider as she became more and more agitated. "I'd say _mine_ was _far_ superior. Red like the _cat_ pendant you wear around your neck."

How dare he think it to be a game. Instead of snapping, Hermione chose to ignore his comment. She wasn't going to fall for his trickery, and so she simply demanded her possession back. "Give it here."

"No."

" _Why_?"

"Finder's _keepers_." His voice was almost too sing-songy.

Hermione gritted her teeth, inhaling deeply and exhaling as if to calm her nerves, but it did nothing. "You _took_ it from me while I was _wearing_ it! You _stole_ it! And I _want it back._ "

"Um, no." Draco dropped his smile, replacing it with a more serious expression. The ring was returned to its previous trove -his pockets. "I don't want to give it back."

"Draco, we are not _five_. We are adults; we're almost _thirty._ " Hermione paused.

"No."

" _Damn_ it, Draco!" She stomped her way over, acting much like a five year old. Her hands flexing into balls as she grabbed the hand which contained the ring. But try as she may, Hermione could never out maneuver Draco when it came down to physical strength. "Give. It. Back!"

But he didn't budge. Instead he just looked down on her, his expression blank, like the evening he announced his engagement with Astoria Greengrass.

"Why? Why won't you give me back my engagement ring?"

"It didn't seem like you missed it much, anyway."

"Don't say that, Draco."

"Spend some time with me. That's all I ask -and then I'll give you back the ring."

"Why?"

"Why, indeed. Did you wonder _why_ I visited you that night?" With his free hand, he grasped her wrist, pulling them away from the hand which held her dear, _dear_ belonging, and jerked her forward. Her chest slammed against his as a gasp escaped her lips. Her hand rested on his chest, as he looked down with hooded eyelids. " _Why_ didn't you ask then? _Why_ are you asking now? _Why_ can't you spend time with me?"

Hermione stared at him, her breath hitched in her throat as she held it in, feeling the beat of his heart against her hand. A rapid _thump, thump, thump_ hammered in time with her own. "I-I don't know..."

" _The_ Hermione Granger doesn't know?" He voice grew low as Draco dipped his head in towards hers, his lips brushing against hers ever so slightly as he stared into her warm chocolate eyes. "Oh, _dear.._. It looks like I'll have to make you understand then..."

Her eyelids fluttered at his gentle touch and whispered "Draco...we shou-mmnff!"

Draco quieted her, their lips melting onto each other's, his tongue flicking her upper lip then nibbling her lower. The stubble on his chin tickling her in all the right places. A sigh came from Hermione as she relaxed her tensed muscles.

At her reaction, he released his hold on her dainty wrists, and his hands coursed its way through her natural curls, twisting ringlets around his slender fingers. With a light pull, he broke their kiss, his eyes scanning her expressions as the other hand cupped her cheek. "You look much better with your hair this way -the Hermione _I_ know." The pad of his thumb stroked her smooth, pink skin. "You shouldn't _ever_ change yourself for _anyone.._."

Her heart skipped another beat as she stared at him, her lips swollen from his assault. Hermione could never understand Draco; one moment he acted like boy she once knew and detested from their days in school, and the next, a gentleman who could say all the right things, who could sweep her off her feet at all the right times. "I'm still the same person..."

His thumb rested over her lower lip, before he dipped his head in once more. A kiss on the tip of her nose, another on her cupid's bow, and a final one on her lower lip. Her anger over the stolen engagement ring had long subsided and forgotten.

Instead, Draco led Hermione towards the couch sitting in the center of the living room. With a wave of his wand, he turned off the Floo, disallowing any visitors, and just in case, the doors closed and the locks clicked, preventing entry. Not that he had visitors often, anyway. He seated himself onto the edge of the plush cushion, his hand still holding onto Hermione's as he tugged her closer.

Their fingers intertwined once more, the feeling all too familiar as it had Hermione's heart racing all over the place. His thumb grazed along the ball of her hand, his nail scratching along her slightly darker complexion. A small encouragement was all she needed as he placed her hand onto his shoulder while he rested his on her hips.

Hermione took a small step closer towards Draco, her fingers outlined his shoulders, his collarbone, his neck, and with each gentle touch, his muscles tightened as if her digits carried electricity, injecting shocks throughout his body. He clenched his jaw as her pointer scraped along the stubbles of his chin and swallowed. His usual light grey eyes darkened as they continued to gaze deeply into hers, waiting patiently for her next move. It took great restraint for him to not just take her, then and there.

Finally, she leaned in, and a gentle kiss of her lips had his eyes closed almost immediately.

Her arms now draped over his shoulders as Hermione took another small step forward, propping her knees onto the settee cradling and sitting back on his thighs. A shove to his chest with her hand and he leaned back against the slack of the sofa, his eyes flipping open once more, looking at the beautiful woman seated atop him. Her mouth hovered over his, close enough to feel the warmth breath exhaling between those luscious lips but never touching. She was, ever, a tease around him, knowing all too well that it drove him insane. Draco pushed his head forward in an attempt to seal their lips, but she was a second faster and turned her head to the side, his lips on her cheek.

A growl sounded from his throat as his fingers dug into her hips to show his disapproval of her toying around.

"Mmm..." She smirked - _oh_ that smirk... "If we're going to be _spending_ time together, then we play by _my_ rules." Somehow the tides turned, giving Hermione all the control -not that she wasn't enjoying this either. And with another push from her pointer against his forehead, Draco hung his head back against the settee, defeated.

Though, as much as Hermione took pleasure in taunting Draco -which was so worth after dealing with him since they were children, she currently had her own needs and wants as well.

She gently pulled at the green satin tie she had crinkled earlier, and with a slight tug at the knot, she loosened it, slipping it off him. Then, one by one, at her own leisure pace, she unbuttoned his shirt. Draco remained still, frustrated as he watched her through slitted eyes, his patience dwindling, now. Once the final button was undone, she slipped her warm hands onto his defined abs, feeling the muscles flexing against her, pushing the unwanted fabric to the side, revealing his upper body. And slowly, she pressed her palm upwards, resting upon his chest, and his heart's beat throbbed at her touch. Her nails lightly scratched at his pectoral muscles, earning her a quiet hiss from the Slytherin.

Some things never changed, and one of those things would always be how her body reacted against the feel of his. It always started off with a glow of her cheeks, then a quickened pace of her heart, and lastly, warmth coursing through her entire body, leaving a wanton ache sitting between her legs. It was all too familiar, but at the same time, alien from its years of absence.

A coy smile danced across face as she pressed her lips to the juncture of his neck and shoulder, her teeth grazing over his skin. She planted butterfly kisses along his jaw before she finally pressed her mouth against his and, ever so slightly, rocked her hips against his. Draco breathed out harshly through his nostrils, and a delighted moan sounded from Hermione. The feeling of their bodies grinding against each other suddenly flipped a switch within the witch and the sluggish pace she worked so hard to maintain was gone in an instant. Hermione sat up, placing her palm flat on his chest, drinking in the sight of the blonde man before her.

Draco looked up at the brunette, pupils dilated and chest rising and falling quicker than normal. He worked his hands from her hips up to her waist, pushing up the satin blouse over her breast and shoulders before tossing it onto the floor. The witch slipped off her lap as she worked on her jeans, kicking them off as soon as possible before returning to the same position. He stared at the lacy knickers she'd chosen to wear, unmatched from her bra, but she was still just as gorgeous.

"You're not going to take this off?" He teased, his voice husky and low, emitting goosebumps from her skin. His thumbs hooked in the elastic of her panties, ready to rid them of their inconvenience before she grounded her hips against his once more, feeling the growing bulge in his pants. Hermione moaned as he let out a shaky breath before it was replaced with his mischievous smirk, goading, "Mmm, yeah... show me what you've got, Granger."

She shifted her weight down onto the ground, resting on her knees as her hands quickly worked at the button of his slacks. Her hand lingered over the pocket which contained her ring, and their eyes locked, frozen for a moment, before she unzipped his pants, yanking them off his hips, piling onto the ground. Draco released a breath he didn't realize he had held in, the tension between them gone. Hermione caressed his legs, her nails dragging along the sensitive inner thigh as his muscles tensed at the stimulation.

Her lips grazed along the bulge of his boxer briefs, nipping lightly at the fabric as he snarled at her taunt. Fingers danced along the length of the waistband, hooking her digits underneath, and tugged it outward, only to have it snap back against his hips with a _smack._ Another growl came her way, impatient towards her act of revenge against him.

There was a twinkle in her eye as she watched him fidget at her touch -being in control had never been this much fun. Another snap came from the elastic of his briefs as she grazed her teeth along his inner thighs, eliciting a frustrated groan. His hands combed through his tresses, grabbing a fistful of his blonde locks, and he inhaled deeply, expanding his chest before he released it, blowing his exhalation her way.

Mints.

He always smelled like mints.

Draco thanked his lucky stars as she got around to pulling at his boxers, though, bit by bit down his hips as if she was unveiling a priceless work of art. Hermione swallowed and bit down on her lower lip, _at last_ revealing the glorious cock hidden behind the thin piece of fabric. It stood proudly, the tip glistened in precum, excited from its exposure. His undergarment now rested around his ankles while Hermione leaned in further, sticking out her tongue and flicked it against the sensitive hood, tasting his salty dew.

A quiet gasp slipped through his lips as her tongue rolled over his sensitive head. Her hands returned to his inner thighs, running her nails along his skin while her lips _finally_ found their way around his prick as her pad of her tongue continued massaging his tip. He groaned, unintentionally bucking his hips against her mouth, pushing himself further into her wet orifice. "Oh, _yes_..." he sighed, eyes squeezed shut as he reveled in the tightness of her soft lips, pushing further and further down towards the base of his cock. Her tongue traced along the veins of his throbbing organ, her throat tightened in the back around the head as she swallowed him entirely, her lips barely grazing against his pelvic muscles. "Fuck _ahh..._ " Draco whimpered as she squeezed his cock, holding her position. His thighs tightened as he tried to maintain control, but _oh_ her mouth was so delectable and so _skilled_.

With a pull of her head, she slid his slick cock out of her mouth and took a deep breath, staring up at the man, his chest rising and collapsing from her earlier ministration. A delicate hand wrapped around the base while the other massaged his balls with her dainty fingers. Hermione pulled at his prick, easily stroking his length as it was still wet with her saliva. Her lips touched the rough, cool skin of his testicles, her mouth opening slightly as she engulfed his orbs, rolling it around with her lips and tongue.

His hip jerked, surprised at her bold move but savored the dedication coming from the witch. She released her hold on his balls with a gentle _pop_ before returning her focus on his hard cock. The skin pulled along with her soft hand as the spit dried and all was left was the glistening droplet of his precum oozing out between the slit of his prick. Once again, Hermione pushed her lips against the tip, lapping up his juices. "Merlin, Hermione-" Draco moaned, bundling her curls in his hands, pulling them back into a makeshift ponytail as he watched her bob her head up and down on his cock. "Yea, just like that..." He whispered, moaned every time she hit the base of his dick.

 _Fuck_ , if she kept on like this, he wasn't going to match last longer. _Fuck,_ it felt so good. He didn't want it to stop, but- " _Shit_! Hermione," he gasped, pulling her head back as he hitched a breath, staring down at her brown eyes, glazed over in lust. Draco swallowed, gritting his teeth as he to remember how to breathe. "I need you- I..." He paused, pulling the woman up from her kneeling position, and threw her onto the couch, swapping positions.

Hermione let out a slight squeal, and her eyes widened as she was forcibly snapped out of her trance. He stood before her in full glory as he slipped off her knickers, tossing them -accidentally- into the still smouldering fireplace, but they wouldn't take notice until much later. Her bra came off just as quickly -though, it was saved from destruction as it was merely chucked behind the couch. Their clothes scattered all over the room.

Draco grabbed the back of her knees, bending her legs around his waist as he, taking no time, pushed himself into her soaking pussy. It was always his favorite part -the first push. He could feel the walls of her cunt stretching to fit his cock, twitching as it accommodated his intrusion. _Fuck_ , she was so tight.

" _Ooh_ -" she whimpered, arching her back as he filled her to the brim before he took a pause. They both audibly exhaled, staring down at their bodies before he pulled his hips back, slowly sliding out of her slick cunt, just half-way, before he slammed himself back inside. " _Mmm_ ah!" Hermione was so wet, practically gushing for him as he kept pounding his prick into her tight hole.

She gripped onto the back of the settee, reaching behind her shoulders as her arm caged her head. Her jaw was clenched as she gritted her teeth, her mewls dribbling from her pink lips as he thrust in and out. It didn't take her long before she felt the familiar curl in her stomach telling her what was to come next. And by the look on his face, the creases between his sweaty brows and the concentrated squeeze of his closed eyes told her he was close to finishing, too.

His hands rested on her breasts, tweaking her pebbled nipples as he sent more electrifying ripples coursing through her body. "Oh!" Hermione threw her head against the crest rail of the couch; her toes curled as he angled himself to hit _that_ spot over and over again. It was what she needed, just enough to send her flying over the edge, swirling in bursts of bright lights as she rode the wave of her orgasm. " _Draco_!" she cried, her inner muscles convulsing violently around his prick, sucking him in as he tried to pull away, his thrusts becoming desperate -his need for release was evident.

Draco leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers as he contorted her body, his hips driving into hers with vigorous fervor as she continued to squeeze him. " _Aah-_ " he groaned, his fingers digging into her ribcage as he near exploded inside her still spasming pussy. His senses completely gone by the time he was done, and his cock twitched inside her with satisfaction.

With a kiss on her lips, he pulled himself out, falling back onto the settee, taking in a deep breath. Their hands found each other's yet again as they slumped against the soft cushions, sweat rolling down their bodies, though the room was cool and pleasant. He stared at the fireplace, noticing her half-burnt knickers and exhaled a laugh, though he chose not to say anything.

He lifted her hand, kissing the back of it, remembering his end of the deal, though it was questionable whether she did. Regardless, if she didn't mention anything, he wasn't going to be the one to bring it up. But, of course, it was Hermione -she never forgot a thing.

Hermione sat up, wistfully pulling her hand away from his and combed her messy hair over one side of her shoulder, fanning the back of her neck -using any excuse, rhyme or reason to avoid making any further contact with him. She, even, stared down at her feet, her toes digging into the rug nervously.

It was...done, right? She held her end of the bargain.

There it was, a pang of guilt gonging against her chest as reality settled in. And just like that, her wonderful, fantastical knight was just a ruse. Hermione bit down on her inner cheek, praying it was all just a dream. But, reality set in once more as she came to realization not once did she sleep with Draco -but _twice_.

"Can I have it back now?" Her voice was quiet, wavering.

Try as she may to will it away, silence was an old friend of theirs, showing up after their lovemaking when they were still together or even appearing between arguments. It always came whenever they least expected.

Slate grey eyes darted over towards her, but she, purposefully, turned her head in the other direction, unable to look at him. Shame ate away at her soul as she squeezed her thighs together, feeling the spreading warmth shared between her and Draco.

It wasn't right.

She knew better.

"I don't want to," he muttered, quickly slipping into his boxers then his slacks. He wanted to get to the ring before she did. If... if he gave it back, he'd never see her, again. He'd never have this moment with her, again. And _Merlin,_ he missed it so much. He ached for her, every day. He longed for her touch. For her kisses. To hear her moan his name. He...he couldn't bear not experiencing it anymore.

If he gave it back... then it would all be real.

Then she would really _be_ engaged to him -Blaise, his longtime friend.

 _Fuck._

Her eyes snapped onto his. Gone was the sad woman sitting on his settee, replaced with an angry witch with fire in her eyes. " _Why_?"

Draco buttoned up his shirt, refusing to look at Hermione, as he walked away from the couch and towards...anywhere else but next to her. "I.. I don't want to." What was he saying? Why was he being such an arse? Just give her back the _damned_ ring..

It wasn't healthy.

This obsession.

"This isn't about whether _you_ want to or not, _Draco_." She stood up suddenly, taking wide strides over towards the man. "This is doing what's _right -_ and so far, _nothing_ about what we've done has been _right_!" Hermione pointed at the couch, her finger trembling ever so slightly as her heart ached against her sternum.

He couldn't look at her. That damned silence.

"When have you ever known me to do anything right?" he whispered, sliding his hand into the pocket of his pants, gripping onto the ring. Why was he being so selfish? Draco couldn't look at her. He was so ashamed at his own behavior.

"Why are... just what do you want from me, Draco?" Her voice softened, realizing he wouldn't budge. The blonde could be as stubborn as a Gryffindor if he wanted. Raising her voice and yelling at him wasn't going to help the situation. "We're not..." Hermione sighed, staring down at the hand which held the jewelry hostage.

A sniffle had him glancing over towards the witch as she looked elsewhere. The back of her hand wiping away at her eyes.

 _Shit._ Did he just make her cry?

"We're not... _together_ anymore. You can't just expect me to tag along with your charades." She shifting, wrapping her arms around her naked body, covering herself up. Her brows furrowed as tears streamed freely from her eyes. "This isn't a game we're playing, we're not chil-"

"-Don't you think I know it's not a game?" He snapped, furrowing his brows, an obvious frown etched into his lips. "Is this what you think?"

"Isn't that what it is?"

Hs fingers combed through his messy tresses, frustrated. How could he make her see? Make her understand? None of this had ever been a game. "Hermione, I lo-"

" _-Don't_." Her eyes widened, realizing what he was about to say. "Don't you _dare_ start that." Her shoulders trembled and her hands balled into fists, knuckles white from how hard she clenched. "You _can't_."

 _Fuck_. He fucked up.

"I'm with _Blaise._ We're-We're _engaged_. " Hermione gestured towards the hidden ring. "And you! You're engaged to _Astoria..._ For the love of God!" She exhaled a scoff, staring up at the ceiling, blinking away her tears. "You shouldn't have showed up that night..."

He clenched his jaw; his grip around the stupid engagement ring tightened.

Did she not know?

"I'm not _actually_ engaged to Astoria." Draco moved around her, making his way back towards the settee and seated himself. Another wave of his wand and the fireplace came to life, lighting up the forgotten piece of cloth.

She started to pick up her wardrobe, slipping on her bra, then her blouse. Hermione searched for her knickers, though they were nowhere to be found. "What are you talking about you're _not engaged_? I was at your party, I listened to your announcement -I... I remember that night all too clearly." Another thump of her heart and she winced at the memory as it threatened to resurface.

"It's all _fucking_ politics," he laughed, pinching the bridge of his nose. She, really, didn't know? "So the Malfoy family would look good. You know Mother -it's always about showing off to the press: our latest feat, our newest jewels, our luxurious summer home." Draco glanced over at Hermione as she searched for her lacy underwear. She gave up shortly, fetched her jeans, and shoved one leg at a time through each length.

A sniffle came from her stuffy nose and he glanced over briefly before he stared back at the fireplace. "But... Blaise said you moved on." Her sorrowful expression was overwritten with confusion. Hermione was having trouble comprehending the words that came out of his mouth. "He said you were in love..."

"She's been dating the same man since she was at Hogwarts." The ring was out from its confines as he spun it around his finger, counting the number of jewels sitting in the band. "He's a muggleborn, like you, and disapproved by her family." His red diamond ring still looked better.

Hermione froze in the midst of wiping away more of her tears as more metaphorical question marks popped over her head. "What?"

A bitter chuckle erupted from Draco, " _I_ am the other man, Granger." A pause, and his eyes met hers for the first time since they started bickering. He swallowed, his brain twisting and turning as he debated on his next comment.

It would make or break everything.

Draco held the ring out towards her, "Blaise knew from the get go."

* * *

The green and white ring glistened fantastically as it sat around the fingers of its rightful owner, light from the sun creating a rainbow effect cast around the living room as it reflected through the jewels. But the glamour was merely an illusion as suspense hung heavy in the air between Blaise and Hermione.

They were quiet, but the tension amidst them was so thick, it could be cut with a knife.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered, leaning forward with her elbows propped on her knees. Her hand was clasped around the other, pressed against her lips. Her eyebrows knitted together; frustration was apparent on her face. They'd been in the same room since Blaise arrived back from his business trip.

Not a hello was exchanged between the two as he noticed her grave expression, sitting in the exact same spot two hours prior.

Exhaustion pulsed through his body. He'd look forward to coming back home to his fianceè, to spend time with her but, instead, an argument erupted the moment he set down his portfolio. "Does it even matter anymore?" He just wanted it over and done with. Blaise rubbed the side of his head, feeling a migraine coming on.

"Of course it does!" She snapped, glaring at him. "Our relationship -these past _two and a half years_ -built on _lies_."

Just what did he have to say to satisfy her? "I wouldn't have had a time of _day_ with you had you known everything between Draco and Astoria had been a front," he muttered, sighing in the process. Blaise slumped further back into the love seat, kicking his legs out against the coffee table, irritated. When she didn't confirm, he continued, "I guess the answer's a no, then."

"That's not true-"

"-Are you sure about that?" It was his turn to retaliate as he noticed her resolve weakened for a moment. He stared at her from his seat, his arms hanging off the armrest. Blaise tried to sit next to her, to put an arm around her, but Hermione simply shoved him off, refusing to acknowledge his presence other than to push him away. "'Cause right now it seems like if you could go back and change things, you would change _everything_ about us."

She bit her lower lip, the gears in her mind spinning a mile a minute.

"Speaking of," he carried on in his monologue, and their eyes locked onto each other's. It was the tone in his voice, and it had her heart threatening to jump out of her throat. "How did you find out?"

Hermione straightened her back. _Shit._ She didn't think everything through. Think, think, think. What could she say to cover up her story? Perhaps she could say she ran into some of his friends -no, that wouldn't work. Why would she ever just hang out and chat with him if there wasn't some sort of social obligation? Maybe she overheard it while strolling through Diagon Alley- _yes,_ that could work, but... Did she really want to continue to add onto the deceit their foundation was built on?

But what else could she say?

 _The truth, for starters._

"Hermione."

"I..." She hesitated. Since when did this suddenly get turned against her? When did she become the villain in this? What could she say? "I... I ran into Draco, and-"

"You _ran_ into Draco?" Blaise finally sat up in his seat, his expression changing, not buying the start of her excuse. "Since when do you simply _run_ into Draco, Hermione?"

 _Shit._ She pursed her lips, her breathing increased as her mind blanked. Of all the times for her brain to just _blank_ , it had to be _now._ The worst time for any of this to happen. _Fuck._ Hermione fiddled with the engagement ring, twisting it around her finger, panic settling deep in the pit of her stomach.

" _Hermione._ "

"He came over last week. And it was rain-raining -I was.. -We -we..." Her breath hitched as words vomited out of her mouth suddenly, coming out before she had the opportunity to process everything, before she had the chance to word it eloquently to lessen the blow. "...I slept with him."

Her gut wrenched, crumpling and buckling into a tight knot as the rapid beat of her heart pounded much too loudly in her ears, deafening like the thunderous roar the night Draco came over. She swallowed, immediately standing up as she completed her sentence, unable to face her fiancè. The guilt of her confession was too unbearable. Hermione didn't feel relieved at all. No -this was so much worse.

She couldn't look at his expression -the hurt that was written all over his face.

 _Merlin_ , what did she do?

"I'm... I'm sorry," she choked out between sobs, tears spilling as she unsuccessfully blinked them away. "I don't-I don't know what...uhm, what c-came over me." Hermione gasped for air, unable to form words properly. "It was just -just... It -it just happened so -so suddenly. It... it was all a blur."

The sound of the armchair squeaked much too loudly as Blaise stood, making his way behind her. Disbelief written all over his face. His chest rose in short pants as he breathed through his mouth. He reached for her arm, but she jerked it away, squaring her back towards him. Her shoulders quivered as silent tears spilled, rolling down her cheeks and dripping off her chin onto the carpeted floor.

It felt worse -saying everything out loud. It was so much more _real_. Like, what could have been just a dream was suddenly a terrifying reality, and their relationship was now hanging by a string.

Blaise grabbed her shoulders, spinning her around to face him. And he held her there, though she looked elsewhere. It pained him to know she wouldn't even look into his eyes during her admission. Her resistance towards him hurt worse than her admittance to her infidelity with his childhood friend. _Fuck._ His mouth was dry, and no matter how many times he tried to swallow, it felt like he was consuming a dry, gritty sand. "Do you still love him?" He managed to choke out, his voice cracking ever so slightly as he forced himself to speak.

Hermione didn't even know how to answer - _did_ she still love him? The man who once saved her from her very own Hell? The man who was her best friend during her time of need? The man who would dry away her tears?

Did she still love him?

"No..." She whispered, shaking her head, weeping. Hermione couldn't look at him. She couldn't witness his heartbreak. "No, I don't. I -I love _you_." Her head still shook from side to side, her straightened hair flowing along and single strands getting stuck on her wet cheeks. "I-I-I'm s-sorry, I didn't...I didn't mean it. It meant _no-nothing._ " The sobbing witch took a tentative step towards her fiancè, waiting for his reaction, and when he stood his ground, she pressed her face into his sternum, his suit blotted with her tears. In a muffled bawl, she stuttered, "Plea-please don't h-hate me..."

His strong arms wrapped possessively around her trembling frame, his face buried in her hair as he inhaled briefly and exhaled a distinct sigh. A pull yanked at his heartstrings; the pain an unfamiliar stranger to his soul. "I could never hate you, Hermione..." he whispered gently into her ears as she sniveled. Even if she chose to love _him_ , instead, Blaise could never find a reason to hate the witch he idolized since their adolescent years.

And for the first time in their relationship, he finally realized the woman crying before him was just that -a human.

Imperfect and capable of making mistakes.

Not the goddess he was so sure she was.

They stood there, wrapped in each other's embrace for some time. He rocked her gently from side to side as her sobs subsided into sniffles. When Hermione finally looked up at him, her eyes were puffy and red; instinctively, Blaise brushed away the remaining tears, kissing her tear-stained cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she muttered through hiccups.

While forgiveness was the natural next step, he couldn't find the words to actually say it. He couldn't simply pardon it. No, it hurt him too much for him to just simply _brush_ it aside and ignore it. "I..." Another sigh escaped his lips, "I can't forgive you."

"Oh..." Hermione looked away once more, tears threatening to spill again.

"Not yet-" he added, quickly dabbing away the tears with the sleeve of his buttondown. "I need time..."

His hand traced her jawline, and he gently brought chin up, their eyes meeting.

"You can't see him again."

* * *

The ceiling was covered in pink and red balloons bouncing off one another as Hermione entered the room. Her eyes twinkled at the sight; it was the first time she'd seen the room so decorated -so cute and different from the usual bland and boring beige. The walls had paper hearts stickered all over it with big bubbly "Happy Valentine's" text floating around. The nightstand and table were adorned with red and yellow snapdragons, more than the usual single bouquet she'd see each year.

February fourteenth rolled by again, but this year was extra special -well, if special was the right word. This year marked the ten years since she last tried to restore her parents' memory -what sent them to the recovery ward in the first place.

It wasn't worth celebrating, but rather, the 'anniversary' was just another excuse for Hermione to take the day off from work to visit her father. Plus, it was her parents would-have-been thirty-first anniversary today.

"Happy Valentine's, Daddy," she smiled, setting the picnic basket onto the desk. "What wonderful decorations you have here today! The nurses must be so sweet to have added this." Hermione gave him a quick peck on his cheek.

Save from the hodgepodge decorations in the room, nothing much else has changed. The beds were still in the far back corner of the wall, while the desk sat at the center left side with the ever more depressing box they called a window situated just above. But -it was a good change -these cute Hallmark decorations- even if her father didn't notice it. Maybe his psyche did. Maybe it'll help boost his morale. Hermione made a mental note to thank the nurses later.

"So-Daddy, I've some exciting news for you," she smiled as she unloaded the basket.

Blaise couldn't make it today, much to her disappointment. He didn't say why -but whether it was because of his busy work schedule or because he was still trying to...figure out how to forgive her, she didn't know. They barely spoke the past two months and exchanged words only when necessary. Just like Hermione, he buried himself in his work, leaving home early and staying late. There had even been a few times where he didn't come back home until the next day, wearing a cologne of noxious of alcohol. Yet, Hermione couldn't bring herself to talk to him about it -in her mind, he had every right to drink the night away and figure things out his own way. It's...what she did when her heart was broken into hundreds of pieces.

Things would...fix themselves, eventually.

Hopefully.

"Do you remember my boyfriend, Blaise?" She knelt down in front of the man, who continued to stare at the wall across from him. He swayed back and forth in the rocking chair with his mouth slightly ajar as he breathed in and out. "Well-" Hermione continued with a faint, sad smile. "We're engaged!"

She held out her hand, showing her father the green and white diamond encrusted ring. "He asked me on our second year anniversary. We haven't planned a date yet, but we were thinking maybe sometime next year." Her words barely whispered through her lips. "I promise I'll get you out of here by then -so you can walk me down the aisle."

Hermione gave her father a kiss on his hand before she went back over towards the table, pulling out all the usual snacks she'd bring every year. "What would you like first? Foie gras? Or some strawberries?"

"Thank you again, Nurse Jenkins, for always looking after him so well." She stood outside with the attending, holding onto the basket to her side. "He's been looking a little healthier. I'm glad things have improved, even if a little."

The older woman smiled, patting Hermione against the arm. "Of course -we do whatever we can do, Miss Granger. Have a good evening, now." She bid the younger witch farewell, and just as she was about to walk off and visit other patients, Hermione stopped her.

"Oh-"

Jenkins turned around. "Yes?"

"And thank you for decorating the room in there. It was a quite pleasant."

The woman furrowed her brows, peering into the dimly lit room of her father's. "We didn't decorate any of that."

"What do you mean?"

"He comes in every year, as soon as the door opened-" The nurse snapped her fingers, trying to remember the mysterious man. Hermione's heart thumped at the realization it wasn't the nurses all these years. "With the snapdragons, oh- a pretty blonde boy." Jenkin's expression changed into a smile. "He used to come with you all those years back."

Draco?

Hermione looked back into the room as her father slept. _He_ decorated this? _He_ was the one who brought in the snapdragons - _Oh_ , Merlin's beard, how did she not notice it until now? Snap _dragons_. That snake. The corner of her lip twitched at the thought, watching the flowers dance ever so slightly to the moving air.

Draco Malfoy -a man of many surprises.

The nurse must have said something at some point, but Hermione was too busy lost in her own thoughts to pay attention, and when she turned back around, the woman was gone. Well, it wasn't like she didn't know her way out.

Her heart pounded against her chest. All these years and it'd always been him.

And there it was, the all too familiar ache in her chest.

* * *

It's funny how time passed.

When the sun is shining and everyone is having a merry time, the time breezed by so quickly. But when the nights are cold and loneliness was the only friend, time dragged on endlessly.

Eventually, though, everyone moves on.

Blaise did with Hermione, about four months after her heart wrenching confession, and they were back on track with life. The wedding plans continued on, and they were set to marry in less than two months, on their fourth anniversary.

But, until then, Hermione worked hard at the Ministry, focusing on her research on how to restore botched memories -a project she worked on tirelessly for the past decade. Towers of books from ancient history to new experimental trials were stacked all over her room -all of them memorized from cover to cover. And on top of her personal task, she also worked on Obliviating others, mostly muggles, who accidentally discovered the wizarding world or even wizards who slipped up in front of a muggle. From time to time, she was also tasked to restore memories, which of course, she had no problem doing.

She's dealt with everything in between, and she was _superb_ at her job. Many times she'd been promoted, but every time she declined. Taking on more responsibilities, while Hermione believed she would enjoy to no end, would not give her the time to work on her own project of finding a cure for her parents.

Twenty-four hours in a day just _wasn't_ enough. Plenty of times, she'd wish she could get her hands on a time turner.

Today was an office day. No outside work needed to be done, so Hermione spent most of her time writing up reports and sending them through the proper channels. Working at the Ministry wasn't always fun and games, unfortunately. Many a days were spent behind closed doors writing statements after statements on wizarding incidents in muggle London. It happened more often than one would image. Especially when it came to magical folks and technology -often times these modern machines would just, simply, go haywire.

"Thank you for lunch, Harry," Hermione waved to Harry as he made his way back towards the elevator after having walked his best friend to her office.

"See you tomorrow, 'Mione."

Luckily, for Hermione, she had Harry Potter to save her from endless boredom (yes, work got dull sometimes) since he, also, worked in the Ministry as an Auror. Often times, he was out and about doing field work, tracking down criminals, but when he wasn't off being a superhero, he, too, was filling out written statements.

Writing paperwork was just second nature to Ministry officials -the way of life, as one called it.

When Harry turned the corner, she greeted her administrative assistant, who sat behind a large wooden desk with paper scattered everywhere. It drove Hermione nuts to see her chaotic organization, but she was the best secretary Hermione's ever had. "Did you have a good lunch, Lizzy?"

"As usual, Miss Granger." The younger woman smiled faintly, scooting up her spectacles with the scrunch of her nose as she glanced up towards her superior. "Oh -and here's a package." Lizzy held it out to her boss.

"Thank you-" she accepted the parcel, tearing the wrapping open. She blinked a few times, _oh..._ This, this book. She tossed the discarded paper into the bin. _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_. It was old and yellowed. _Oh._ It was the book she placed a bid a few years back during the night of Draco's 'engagement.' Did she win it? But it'd been several years... "Um-Is there, is there anything else?"

Lizzy shook her head, and Hermione nodded, entering her office and shutting the door quietly behind her.

A sigh escaped her lips as she watched the ever growing pile of paperwork sitting on her desk. Hermione glanced down, carefully flipping through the pages of her favorite book. It didn't make sense. If she'd won the book, she should have received it sooner...

She wasn't even in her room for a minute before she started hearing muffled arguments outside her studio.

Then, the door slammed open and she heard Lizzy's voice, "Mister Malfoy, you can't just _barge_ in there!" Hermione whipped her head towards the entryway, her eyes wide in bewilderment as a disheveled blonde stood in front of her. Her eyes darted to her secretary, and the younger woman merely shrugged, mouthing an apology.

He looked at the book in her hand and pointed to it. "I see you got the book, yeah?"

Hermione looked down then back up. "You can't be here, Draco." He got the book, then? For her?

But he ignored her, shutting the door behind him as he stepped further into the room. "I put a tracking gadget on the wrapping paper -so I would know when you're in the office." He sounded much too proud of his accomplishment.

With a wave of his wand, he silenced the room and locked the door. His brows were furrowed as he breathed heavily, staring at the confused witch in front of him. "You blocked me."

"I'm not to see you anymore." Her heart pounded out of control. This was the last place she expected him to show up. In fact, Hermione didn't think she'd be seeing him ever again, given how things ended between the two of them -since her confession to Blaise.

Actually, it'd been well over a year since they've last spoken. Hermione had avoided him, and it was so much harder than she originally thought it to be. They always attended similar functions, and even shared mutual friends. As much as Blaise _loathed_ Draco, in the eyes of the public, they were best friends. Purebloods and their ridiculous politics. Plus, the bright blonde hair of his always caught her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to look elsewhere. He was always there when she didn't want him to be.

Always.

And now, she had no choice but to stare at him square in the eyes as he forced them to interact. "I've been trying for _months_ to get in touch with you. You blocked me from the Floo. You're always conveniently 'out' whenever I show up at your office -why won't you see me?"

"...I'm not allowed to."

"You're not _allowed_ to? What are you five?" He sneered. "Since when did you start listening to such _stupid_ demands?"

"Since you almost ruined my relationship with Blaise!" Hermione threw down her satchel, angry at Draco's accusations. "Can't you take a hint, Draco?"

He always knew how to just rub her the wrong way. "It takes two to tango, Granger."

Ignoring her comment, she stomped her way behind her desk - a safe place and a makeshift barrier between her and the wretched Malfoy. "What do you _want_?" The query nearly oozed out with distaste. If he had some sort of reason to be here, then perhaps it was best to just listen so he could leave.

Guilt throbbed painfully against her sternum as her promise to Blaise was broken -though, through no fault of her own.

He got it. He knew perfectly clear he wasn't welcomed, not from her tone just now, but from all the other times she kept clear of him. From all the times she turned her head away at the sight of his eyes or the letters returned unopened.

Draco knew all too well what it felt like to be unwanted.

"You'll hear me out, then?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No."

"Then get with it." The witch gestured towards the seat in front of her desk as she sat at her own. Her eyes darting everywhere in the room, looking everywhere but at the man who could still make her heart beat uncontrollably.

Draco pulled out the seat, plopped down, and leaned onto the desk. "I... found a cure -for your father. I know how to restore his memories." He waited, but she stayed silent, unsure how to take the news. "I...I've been working on some potions..." He fiddled around with his fingers, digging at his nail though they were spotless. A nervous habit he picked up from Hermione all those years ago. "It's... It's why I planted a seed in Mother's head -how this whole engagement with Astoria started."

Her heart lodged itself in her throat as she heard his fianceè's name.

"I chose to be with Astoria...because her family company monopolizes the potion manufacturing businesses," he picked his words carefully, knowing what he had done all these years were scheming and deceitful, especially to the beautiful woman sitting in front of him.

But how else could he say it? To make it sound better, to make him come off good willed -because he potentially discovered a cure for her father. Would she see it that way? Or would she just see it as him trying to get in her good graces again? Or even trying to end her relationship with her and Blaise once more? "I needed access to...certain ingredients that aren't.. _.easily_ obtained through normal means. Being with Astoria made things a lot easier for me. It was a mutual..." he paused, swallowing, "... _relationship_. I could get the much needed supplies and she...well, she would take the Malfoy name and appease her parents."

He ran his fingers through his hair, sighing loudly. "It took me so long -to figure it out. I...I had to seek help from _muggle_ doctors. Can you believe it? And learn this weird _science_ thing they've got going on-" Draco paused, noticing the curve of her lips twitching upwards as her eyes fluttered down onto the clean table -quite opposite of her secretary's. A wave of relief washed away the tension and nervousness resting in the pit of his stomach.

She could still smile around him, even if it was just a little bit. That was enough.

Her happiness would always be enough for him.

"It took a while -a lot longer than what I had originally anticipated." Draco pushing himself back against the slack of the chair, his hand slipping into his jeans and pulled out a vial filled with a wispy air-like liquid. "This...This is it." He, carefully, placed it on the desk, pushing it over to Hermione. "Almost nine years worth of work..."

With trembling fingers, Hermione picked up the tiny bottle, terrified to destroy the only thing that might cure her father. "But -how do you know it works?"

"With a little bit of _Felix Felicis_." For a split second, a smirk danced across his lips as he quipped, but it faltered as she sent him a glare. Okay, so no joking around. Perhaps it wasn't the smartest time to do it, anyway. "I, um, I don't?"

"But you just said-"

"-I'm aware of that. _I_ can't make it work, but _you_ can." His fingers tapped quietly on the wooden desk as he crossed his legs. "I was trying all these things, potions after potions after potions -nothing really worked, nothing made sense. So, I...Well, Astoria suggested I get in touch with some doctors in London and explain to them what happened, without exposing our world, but don't worry, I _Obliviated_ their memories-"

"-Draco!"

"I was careful!" He threw his hands up in defense as she snapped at him. Obliviating a person's memory was dangerous. One wrong flick of the wand and everything could be ruined. Hermione was a prime example. "I learned the cerebral cortex plays the primary role in one's memory, but it also plays a part in another's attention, though, language...consciousness."

Hermione sat the vial down as the airy liquid inside spun around in circles, like a small hurricane in a bottle. She stared down at the potion then back at the man sitting in front of her as he explained away.

Nine years? He's been working on this potion?

"Why...didn't you tell me sooner?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it was loud enough for Draco to stop in the middle of his sentence.

He swallowed once more, his mouth dry. "You were with Blaise, and for once in a _really_ long time, you were happy. I didn't want to ruin what you two had."

"But you tried to all those months ago."

"My mind wasn't in the right place," Draco tried to justify his actions. "You... getting engaged was the last thing I'd expected." He stared at the ring on her finger. "My heart broke -I... shouldn't have done what I did, but I'm not going to apologize for it." He would never apologize for loving Hermione, even after all these years. Even if she'd moved on or hated him. Her happiness meant the world to him.

It's why he was here today.

"Let's go visit your father."

Her eyes darted back onto his, and for the first time in a very long time, she watched him smile. She gave him a hasty nod while she grabbed the vial and made her way over towards the inactive fireplace.

"This potion should repair all the damages on the brain from when you, initially, tried to reverse the spell." Draco opened the door slowly to her father's room, allowing her to enter.

Hermione's eyes darted towards the bundle of snapdragons. "You were always the one leaving the flowers here. I don't know why I never caught on to it." She watched Draco saunter over towards the flowers, petting their red petals as they shimmied to his touch. They never danced for her. Only ever for Draco.

"You were too busy taking care of your parents-" he smiled. "I never expected you to figure it out."

"So-" She cleared her throat, "tell me more about what I should do." Hermione greeted her father and pulled a chair out to sit next to him. Her hand grasped his as he rocked in his chair.

"Get him to drink the potion." He turned to her, watching her closely as she examined her father's condition. "Wait a minute for the potion to take on; it's a temporary fix, but it'll heighten the spell. And with your magic, with your love and power -you can fix him and restore everything."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because a certain bookworm once taught me love can change the world."

She turned to face him, eyes brimming with tears as her lips trembled. "I'm scared, Draco... What if I screw up again? What if I lose him permanently?" Her voice quivered as she inhaled deeply, "I can't lose my dad -with Mum gone -I... I can't." Her forehead rested on her hand as she tightened her grip on her father's hand, sniffling.

"You won't." Draco placed his hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be here to help you every step of the way."

Tears poured from her eyes as she looked up at the man. Her heart pained to look at him. Nine years of his life he spent researching a cure for her father. Nine years without saying a single word. And here they were, together, about to make one final attempt to restore her father's memories.

Even after all this time, after all the things she's said to him -he was still happily standing next to her.

Hermione swallowed back a sob as she pulled out the vial and popped the cork. A whiff of lavender-scented aroma filled the air, calming her restless heart. "Okay..." She sighed, holding the potion up to her father's lips. Instinctively, his mouth opened, and she poured the concoction down his throat as mist-like substances spilled out from the corner of his lips.

When the bottle was emptied, Hermione stood up, readying her wand with a trembling hand. _One minute,_ She reminded herself, waiting for the potion take effect. His eyes closed as his head hung forward, almost as if he'd fallen asleep in his chair, but when nothing else happened, she looked to Draco, panicking.

"It's all in the mind, Hermione. You're not going to see any physical changes." He watched her father, his hand reaching out for hers. Their fingers intertwined as he held tightly onto her. As much as he was confident on the outside, his heart was beating a mile a minute, anxious and scared.

They couldn't afford to muck up.

 _Fifty-eight..._ Hermione lifted her wand and glanced over towards Draco. He nodded in encouragement. _Fifty-nine..._ She turned to her father who continued to sleep in his chair, no longer rocking it back and forth. _Sixty_. She pointed her wand at the older man. " _Memoriam Revoca!"_

A thin, feathery substance floated out from the tip of her wand and traveled towards the man the spell was pointed at. The restoring incantation looked very much like the potion Draco created, light blue and twirling in a spiral almost like a tornado. When it reached its destination, the matter seeped through his nostrils as he inhaled, disappearing in almost an instant.

All they could do was wait. Neither of them knowing how long it would take -but her presence was necessary. For when he woke up, he needed to see her face -the ultimate symbol of love.

They stood there, their hands clasped around each other's, staring at the man before them. For Hermione, what felt like an hour was only a few minutes.

Funny, how time passed.

Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when the older man stirred. He lifted his head slowly, his hand reaching behind, massaging his neck, and a groan! Hermione shot a look over towards Draco as he nudged her forward; his hand loosening its grasp around hers.

Tears filled to the brim of her eyes as she knelt forward in front of the man -too scared to say anything. She didn't want to ruin the moment -that hope.

His eyes opened slowly, and Hermione's heart hammered against her sternum -his irises were foggy, blue like the substance from her incantation, but for just a moment before it disappeared again. They were hazel like hers, though his had flecks of green.

When his vision cleared, it would mark the first time in ten years he'd seen his daughter. And for a moment, he'd hardly recognized her. The young teenager, he last remembered, grown to a beautiful woman with giant tears trickling out of her doe-like eyes.

"Hermione?" He cleared his throat. It was dry -dry from years of not being able to utter a word.

Draco appeared next to the older man, holding out a glass of water, and he gratefully accepted it, gulping down the fine liquid. It was just what he needed, a cool lubricant to his parched throat.

"D-D-Daddy?" She stuttered, grabbing his hands as he nearly spilled the contents of his drink. "Daddy -do you -do you remember me?"

They stood in the hallway; the light in her father's room was turned off as he'd gone to bed, exhausted from the past several hours of catching up. And there was _so_ much to catch up on -they weren't even closed to finishing.

As much as Hermione wanted to stay with him, he needed his rest. He needed to recuperate. The nurses and doctors tended to him now.

She'd come back tomorrow.

"We could use someone like you at the Ministry, you know." She smiled, staring down at interlocked hands. "I'll even put in a good word for you."

The pad of his thumb grazed over her soft skin as he stared at the ceiling, noticing the soft flicker of the dying light above. "What would Blaise think of that?"

Silence.

"...Thank you, Draco." Tears threatened to spill once more. She'd cried enough for a lifetime tonight. But they were tears of joy. To have her father back in her life -it was a dream come true. Hermione could live the rest of her days without worry, without having to fret over his condition, and now, there would be no more endless hours of research, wasting her life away. Because of him. "I owe you the rest of my life."

"Hermione... You don't owe me anything." He pulled her hand up to his lips, gently kissing the back of it.

Their eyes met.

And he couldn't help himself.

Draco leaned in, dipping his head to hers, his lips hovering over hers for a moment before he placed a gentle kiss. Her eyes fluttered shut as the tears trailed down her rosy cheeks. Their lips parted as he nibbled at her upper lip, and it ended all too soon. He broke the kiss, blinking rapidly as he planted another kiss on her forehead, tugged her into a warm embrace.

His face buried in her hair as he inhaled deeply, the sweet scent of lavender and parchment filled his nostrils. With a shaky exhale, he pulled away, brushing away the tears.

A deep pain vibrated in his chest as his heart wept.

"It's my wedding gift to you."

* * *

The sound of laughter filled the air as women in beautiful gowns ran about in the dressing room. Though they still had several hours, the clock continued to tick away, and none of them were close to ready.

Hermione sat in front of a large vanity mirror. Her eyes were closed as Ginny painted her face with make-up, cracking jokes at the witch, then scolding her friend whenever she giggled and messed up her concentration. Molly stood behind Hermione, brushing her hair, twisting and turning each lock into a beautiful work of art. Luna, on the other than, thought she was helping by spritzing lemon water around the three other women. "A fresh air of luck," she said.

"I'm so excited!" Ginny laughed, nearly breaking out into a song as she wrapped up her finishing touches on her best friend. "You're so beautiful, Hermione." The younger redhead smiled widely, patting Hermione's manicured hand.

"You're saying that only because I'm the bride," she laughed.

"I'm saying it _because_ you're the bride!" Ginny huffed, standing up as she readjusted her scarlet dress. The maid of honor had a lot of work cut out for her, especially in the last couple weeks of preparing for the wedding. In the end, it was all worth it, especially the news of her father. _Holy crap_ , did that put a lot of weight off Ginny.

Because truth be told, she had no idea what she was going to do for Hermione if her father was still in the recovery ward. But now that he was out, it didn't matter what she did -Hermione was as happy as they come. Well, she _did_ put _some_ effort in the bachelorette party, so there was that.

There's no way she would be going down in history as the worst maid of honor, ever.

Once her hair and makeup was completed, Hermione slipped into her dress. Molly gasped, covering her mouth; it was the first time she saw her in the gown. "My adopted daughter," the older woman let out a sob as tears came pouring out of her face. "-Getting married!"

"Mum!" Ginny frowned, pointing at herself. "Hello? Me? Your _actual_ daughter? Married to _Harry Potter_?" But Molly paid no mind as she continued to gush over Hermione.

Hermione was dressed in a gorgeous wedding dress. She wore a backless bustier with sheer long sleeves embellished with white floral appliques down to a form fitting mermaid satin train. She stared at the woman reflected in the mirror, standing before her. Her heart skipped several beats, for a moment, she was unable to recognize herself. Her trembling hands hand down her stomach, feeling every bump of the flowery patterns.

Today was the day.

This was it.

"'Mione?" A knock came from the entrance of the dressing room as it just barely cracked open. She tore away from the mirror to see Harry's head peeking through.

"Harry Potter!" Ginny rushed towards the door, nearly pushing him out. "You know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding!"

"Gin -that only applies to the groom!"

"Oh- Is that how it works?" She looked over towards the bridge as she chuckled and nodded. "Okay, then." Ginny released her hold on the doorknob as she allowed her husband to enter the room.

"Your father wants to see you." Her best friend smiled as Hermione made her way over towards them. They exchanged brief hugs as he light laid a peck on her cheek.

She looked at the older man standing just outside the bride's room, and a warm glow spread through her cheeks. Hermione couldn't get enough of seeing her father. After ten years of him being confined to a single, lonesome room and to finally have him standing before her -she couldn't have asked for a better gift.

"Daddy," Hermione held her arms wide opened for the man as he sniffled, wiping away a tear.

"Your mum would have been so happy." He managed to choke out as he wrapped his strong arms around her. Being in his arms always made her feel like a child again, a feeling she knew she'd never grow tired of. It was full of love -and there wasn't enough of it.

"Are you ready?" Her father looked down at the beautiful bridge as they stood right outside the giant wooden doors that led to the auditorium full of guests and her groom.

Hermione laughed, whispering, "As ready as I'll ever be, Daddy." She looped her arm around his as the wedding planner handed her a beautiful bouquet of white lilies. "Let's pray that I don't trip over my _ridiculous_ dress."

The man chuckled and nodded in agreement.

The two of them straightened out as the doors opened on cue. The _Bridal Chorus_ played in the background as the sounds of feet shuffling echoed the room. Everyone stood from their benches and faced the aisle. Hundreds of eyes staring at her and her father.

Nerves shook her every being as she tried her best not to stumble and remain poised. Her father gave her a reassuring pat on her hand.

 _Everything's going to be okay._

Cameras flashed from every which way, documenting the moment. She could hear whispers, and she saw all the smiles from her honored guests.

At the end of the aisle was her soon-to-be-husband, just as handsome and confident as he'd always been. Their eyes locked and his smile widened into an excited grin. Her cheeks flushed in response, coyly returning his smile and looked towards her bridesmaids.

Ginny was already crying, dabbing away the tears with a handkerchief as her eldest son, James, no more than five years of age, held onto her hand, staring at his mother with a dumbfounded expression.

So much love filled the room today. Whether it was from old friends or from family, Hermione would feel every single one of their affection towards her and her groom.

As they reached the end, he stepped forward, shaking her father's hand. The two of them whispered inaudible exchanges before they swapped places, and her father made his way towards his seat.

"You're absolutely stunning, Hermione." he whispered, staring lovingly down at his bride. His thumb caressed the web of her hand.

"And you're quite handsome yourself, Blaise." Another shy smile danced across her lips as they moved towards the officiary, who, as it turned out, was Harry Potter.

The music subsided as everyone took their seat once more. With a clear of his throat, the speech began, and there was talk of friendship, of love, of family... For a moment, both Hermione and Blaise concentrated on Harry. But, she couldn't help herself, and Hermione leaned a little towards the side, noticing the men standing behind Blaise.

There were three groomsmen: Theodore Nott, Gregory Goyle, and... Draco Malfoy.

He noticed her -of course he would. He would never, for the rest of his life, be able to take his eyes off her. And she looked so...beautiful in her wedding dress. And when their eyes locked, time stood still. A pang of sadness reverberated much too loudly in her chest.

The voice of her best friend warped into indistinguishable garble. " _Hermione Jean Granger, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"_

The corner of his lips twitched, curving upwards into a faint smile, but Hermione didn't believe him, not for a moment, the heartbreak in his watery eyes said it all.

And, after all this time, he was still the only man to ever make her feel the ache in her heart.

"Hermione?"

* * *

 **FIN.**

* * *

 **Responses** first, then _detailed explanation_ of the series after. :)

surugasasa: Thank you! Truth be told, I didn't do her all myself. Mr. Benzedrine was very helpful when it came to increasing the bitchiness factor, haha. And thank you -I don't really know how to respond to your heart almost breaking? but it's really flattering that it did -because then I know I wrote it right. Hopefully you enjoyed this last chapter.

Draconian666: I'm really glad you picked that up -I think I tried to make it really obvious, but haha, sometimes people don't pick these clues up! It's hard loving two people at once.

Sam Wallflower: I know you've been nervous about this, Iris! I know you've been giving Blaise a chance, and I super appreciate you doing so -it means a lot to me. If it helps you, I'll always be #teamDraco. And that's SUPER cute, XD You're so committed to #Dramione that you even shouted "NO!" in real life. XD Hope you enjoy chapter 3 -and hopefully it'd satisfy you a little bit knowing I did throw in Dramione. :)

LightofEvolution: Physical attraction won't always last in the long run. It's the honeymoon stage, when that dies, you gotta live with the person beyond that. I personally think Blaise and Hermione are capable, but no pairing will ever be better than Draco and Hermione. And yes! A lot of Easter eggs -a subtle shoutout to all those who supported me.

Vivienne Stark: Thank you for the compliment! It was a really fun / sad love triangle to write -and top 10 favorite fanfics?! You flatter me TOO much.

Jelibean323: Feel all the feels! I would love me some Blaise or Draco, any day. XD

Broadside: Whooo! I'm glad you listened to them! And they ARE amazing aren't they? :)

* * *

 **My Inspiration:**

I haven't written a lot of fanfics, considering that I'm relatively new in this field, but Background has been the more emotional writings that I've done in all my life, in general. I started off this story as a one-shot, and it was definitely going to circle around love, being loved, and loving (and of course, heartbreak). Of course, as all of you guys know, it turned into a three part series. And I think it was better this way, too. A lot of heart, tears, and laughter went into this and I hope all of you guys were able to feel it, too.

Barcelona, the band that shows up over and over in this series, was, I think what pushed me into this mindset. I rediscovered them about a week or two before I started writing Background, so it ended up planting a seed in my mind which eventually blossomed into this story. I highly encourage you guys to all give them a listen -even if it's not your kind of music, because their songs touch up on the truth of love and relationships.

I've been going through tough times in my own relationship. My boyfriend and I have been having a lot more downs than we have ups these past several months, and at one point, it got me thinking about my past loves and what went wrong with the 'us' then. I had a boyfriend in college, and after we broke up, he was able to find a new girlfriend while I was stuck in the past, comparing all the boys I've dated to him, unable to move on. And, even with this current boyfriend, I've had to find closure with my past before moving forward. It sucks when you idealize a relationship. Your memories _always_ focuses on the good things, making it seem like the relationship was perfect, even though it was far from it.

In the end, Draco, ultimately, represents her past and he's the 'what could have been' had she chose him over her ideal of having a family. Blaise symbolizes the present, the now, someone who she should pour her heart and soul into but can't because she's stuck in the past, always wondering 'what if.'

I wrote a very imperfect Hermione, mainly because many of the fanfictions I've read -she's been near perfect. She has her life in order; she's satisfied with the now. I wanted to write a Hermione who was filled with flaws. Someone who couldn't figure out all the answers, whether it was because of work, her family, or her past. I wanted to write someone who was capable of making mistakes and acting on impulse, because in the end, we all strive to be that perfect Hermione. And in the end, sometimes we can't choose our heart's desires, because it's not always going to make the right choices.

 _PS_ : I was supposed to add something in here about adding a prequel to Background. ;)

 _PPS:_ I've received some comments about the open ended-ness of the story, and here's my interpretation as to _why_ I chose to do what I did: you are in control of your own happiness. Whether it's creating a solidified ending to this story or finding contentment in your life -you are in control. Don't _ever_ let anyone else make you think otherwise.


	4. After all this time Finalist

Hello everyone!

Sorry to tease you with a 'new chapter' notification, but it ain't it.

Yesterday, I found out Background has been nominated as a finalist in the Dramione "After All This Time?" awards on Granger Enchanted (FB) group. It is one of the five fan fictions that are competing for the 'Soundtrack of my heart' best song fic title!

I know I haven't written in a long time. Life has thrown me all over the place and the heart isn't as into it as it used to be, but I still hold Background very close to me even to this day. I was going through a lot of relationship issues during that time, and I feel like it really resonated with a lot of readers. I, also, listened to Barcelona (the band) over and over during this writing process and during my breakup. It was my life for a while, just as I hope it was yours as you read and listened to the songs!

Anyway, I've taken up too much of your time.

Please vote for me in the finals if you enjoyed Background. You can proceed to the voting station here: bit*.ly/2qkqlKe

Be sure to remove the (*) as fanfiction doesn't allow up to post links up.

Thanks so much everyone.

I'll see you soon.

waymay


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